Fidelity
by FightforFiction
Summary: Katniss Everdeen managed to escape her small town and moved to London England, leaving her boyfriend Gale Hawthorne behind. Now three years later, Gale decides to surprise Katniss. But what will happen when a blue eyed artist and a raven haired little girl answer the door? Modern Day AU, Characters OOC.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Everyone! I am FightforFiction… Yeah. I really hope you enjoy! If you like Divergent, head to my page and read my other story, **_**A Dauntless Life With Caleb? **_**Yeah I apologize in advance for any bad grammar, Beta-ing in progress!**

**Anyway please review, follow, and favorite. I really do enjoy writing and I really love feed back from you guys. **

**And thank you to my Beta LeighSix.**

**Thank you and enjoy! ~N**

* * *

**Fidelity: faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.**

* * *

Gale Hawthorne has not seen his girlfriend Katniss Everdeen for nearly three years. Actually two years, eleven months, twenty days; not that Gale is counting or anything.

Partly because he works in the army as a pilot and Katniss lives in England. Katniss Everdeen moved to England when she was twenty-two years of age, to pursue a creative writing career. She chose England because she simply stated: _"I need a change of scenery. Tennessee just isn't enough inspiration." _So Gale agreed and Katniss moved with in a month.

When Katniss left, Gale had nothing or no one to provide for, he felt pretty useless. So Gale Hawthorne enlisted in the Army, he did one year of Aviation and another two in a boot camp in Washington. Three months after Katniss settled down in England, Gale visited. He stayed with Katniss for a week before having to return home for his aviation training.

Gale moved around a lot for his career in the army, and not living in a house, but an army base for two years. He did not receive any piece of information from Katniss, only the occasional phone call or letter.

* * *

Gale Hawthorne stands at the loading zone at Gatwick airport. The black taxies line up waiting for the ocean of people to occupy them. He carries his duffel bag and drags his suitcase behind him as he walks towards a vacant taxi. Gale clicks a button on his phone and her address comes up, "287 High Road, Holloway." The taxi driver nods and starts the small car. Gale is surprising Katniss by showing up at her small house in London, he was told two weeks ago that he was to be stationed anywhere in the world and instantly the opportunity of being with Katniss came to mind.

Gale thinks of Katniss's reactions: flabbergasted, stunned, maybe even angry. He chuckles thinking of her facial expressions; Gale always loved how Katniss was so… pure.

He falls asleep merely from the jet lag and when he wakes he find him self in the street where Katniss lives. Gale got the address from Katniss's 'uncle,' Haymitch. Gale never really liked Haymitch, he drank and was very sadistic, but in ways Katniss and Haymitch were alike, they were both very stubborn, and they were proud.

The taxi driver pulls up to a brown brick home, with white windows sills and a fire-engine-red front door. Gale unloads his suitcase and duffel bag and makes his way through the front gate. Primroses line the concrete path up to the front door, a peppermint green tricycle sits still among the flowers. Gale quirks an eyebrow at the sight, Katniss and children don't mix. '_It must belong to the family that Katniss boards with,' _Gale thinks to himself. Last time he visited her, Katniss was staying with a couple, the man was a bit cocky but they were fine. But now it looked like Katniss was staying with a family.

Gale sets his bag down and checks his world clock; it was 3:35 in the afternoon. And with a deep breath Gale rings the doorbell. He hears some scuffling inside and then the fire-engine-door opens, Gale looks around for a second and his eyes land on a small girl holding the door open, her striking blue eyes look up at him questioningly and her raven coloured hair is pulled back into a messy plait, she clutches a lilac purple blanket in her tanned arms and her clothes look crumpled from a recent nap. She's maybe two at the most.

"Hello," The little girl greets, "I'm Willow." Her voice is strong and clear, and it surprises Gale that there is a slight drawl. For a split moment Gale thinks that the little girl is the only one home, when a tall stocky man appears behind her.

"Sorry about that," He says, the man scoops up the little girl in his arms and sets her on his hip. "Now Willow, what do we say about answering the door?" He asks the little girl, Gale can't decipher if he is French or American because of his accent.

"Don't answer the door, because of stranger-danger," Willow answers with a slight pout.

"Good girl," The man says as he kisses her head. The only similarities between them are their eyes, the same shade of blue. But this man has shaggy blonde hair, light stubble on his jaw and pale skin. He turns toward Gale and greets, "Hello, what can I do for you?"

Gale stumbles for words for a moment and then replies, "I'm looking for Katniss, Katniss Everdeen?" The man looks at Gale blankly for a moment, and then recognition floods his features.

"Everdeen, aye?" The man smirks and extends the hand that isn't holding the toddler, "I'm Peeta Mellark, and you are?"

Gale shakes Peeta's hand firmly and responds, "I'm Gale, Gale Hawthorne." Peeta stops shaking Gale's hand for a millisecond, his eyes widen and he smiles, his white teeth almost blinding Gale.

"Well Gale Hawthorne, Katniss should be home any minute," Peeta says, "You want some tea or coffee while you wait?"

Gale smiles and shakes his head, "No, I'm just fine."

Peeta leads Gale through a small hallway. Pictures of Katniss and Prim line the walls, some of Katniss and her mother, and one of Katniss and her father before he died when she was eleven. Gale can feel a small smile on his lips as he sees a photo of Katniss and Gale on her graduation day, her black robes hangs of her shoulders and her cap is slightly off center. Gale is two years older that Katniss, he was in his second year of college when that photo was taken.

Peeta tells Gale to make himself at home; he sets down his bags and walks into a small living room. A brown leather couch faces a flat screen TV on the wall and a small white coffee table is set in the middle of a burgundy rug. Crayons are sprawled all over the coffee table and rug, pictures and paper are spread through out the room. Some are on the floor, on furniture and some are taped to the wall, next to an exquisite painting of a sunset. Gale admires the painting for a second; he is pulled out of his daze when he feels a tug at his pants. Gale looks down to find the small girl looking up at him.

"Do you like my drawings?" She asks, Gale smiles as she queries him. "They're not as good as my daddy's paintings, but my mum says they're good."

Gale looks back at the drawings; Willow has drawn large circles with lines through them and two dots. "Are they your family?" Gale asks playfully, now seeing that the oddly formed drawings are strangely shaped humans. Willow nods excitedly and Gale says, "Well I think they are great."

Willow smiles a toothy grin and resumes drawing. Gale sits himself down on the leather couch and looks around the room. More paintings line the walls, some of oceans, forests, cities, and deserts. Gale thinks they are incredible.

"Do you like the paintings?" Peeta asks when he enters the room; he carries a mug and sips on it gingerly.

Gale nods and answers, "Yeah, I do."

"Thank you," Peeta says, "They took me a while to complete, but they turned out good in the end."

Gale looks at Peeta in surprise and asks, "You painted these?" Peeta nods and sips on his coffee, a smile forming on his lips. "Damn man you're talented." Peeta smiles in thanks and Gale thinks for a moment, _'If Peeta painted these then he must be Willows father.'_

"You must be Willows father then?" Gale questions Peeta.

"Yeah, my wife and I weren't really expecting her," He answers, "We thought we were a bit young, but I wouldn't trade Willow for the world. I'm twenty six, by the way."

Gale nods and says, "I'm twenty- six as well. Anyway what do you do for a living?"

Peeta wastes no time in answering Gale, "I'm an artist and I run a small pastry shop that is about a ten minute drive from here."

"Wow, that's interesting. Do you make a lot of money?" Gale asks surprised. Peeta nods his head and shrugs his shoulders.

"It's popular, the shop I mean. Apparently it's a 'trendy' place so we get some good business, which leads to good income. My art is going okay, I guess. A lot of older couples appreciate it more than younger people, but I can't complain. But there are paintings in the café, so there's some money there too." Peeta explains, taking a seat in an armchair adjacent to Gale. "So what do you do?"

"I'm, uh, I'm a pilot for the U.S army," Gale says, nodding his head slowly.

Peeta smiles. "That must be fun, my brother is in the army"

"Yeah, well, it is but the training is hard and I don't get to see my family very often," Gale answers truthfully.

"Aw, that'd suck, I don't know if I could handle being away from my family," Peeta says, then directs his eyes over to Willow who is concentrating hard on her drawing, "Especially this little munchkin right there." Willow giggles, as Peeta tickles her sides.

"So, Peeta," Gale says, "how do you know Katniss?"

His eyes light up as he replies, "Actually Katniss and I ar-"

Peeta is cut off by a large banging sound coming from the front door, followed by a woman hollering, "We're home!" A tall woman enters the living space, her black hair is cut into a pixie fringe and her brown eyes scan the room. Gale assumes that this must be Peeta's wife… she seems nice? "Bread boy, little muffin," she acknowledges, her eyes land on Gale and she asks, "Who is this hunky human being?"

Peeta answers quickly, "This is Gale, Gale Hawthorne." The woman's eyes widen and she nods.

"Well hello there Gale Hawthorne," She greets, "I am Johanna Mason, and you can call me Jo." She says in her thick British accent.

"Where's Katniss?" Peeta asks Johanna, she points down the hall towards the front door. Jo sits next to Willow on the ground when another girl joins us, she has flowing brown hair and sea green eyes, Gale recognizes her as Katniss's past roommate, the one with the cocky husband.

"Gale," Annie says, she sounds out of breath, "Long time, no see."

Gale nods and replies, "Yeah, I haven't seen you since Katniss was living with you and Finnick was it?"

Annie nods and looks towards the front door, "Yeah, it's been a long time." Gale is drawn out of the conversation when Willow grabs his hand and pulls him down to the coffee table, she hands him a blue crayon and they start to draw onto pieces of paper. Gale hears the front door open once more and Katniss enters with a young boy. He has bronze hair and sea green eyes; he runs to Annie and latches onto her leg. That must be Annie's son.

Peeta raises from his seat and walks towards Katniss, she hugs him tightly and says, "Hey."

"Hi," Peeta says back, "How was shopping?"

"Ugh, our little womb nugget is making me want to pee a lot," Katniss replies, Willow shoots from her spot next to Gale and bolts towards Katniss.

"Mummy!" She yells as she throws her arms around Katniss, "I missed you!"

Katniss picks Willow up and cuddles her, "I missed you too, my little cupcake." Katniss then kisses Peeta and says, "And I missed my darling husband."

_Husband?! _Gale watches Katniss kiss Peeta, his mind races. He only saw her three years ago and now she's married? With a kid?

"Katniss." Peeta says into his kiss with Katniss. She hums in response, "We have a visitor."

Katniss pulls away from Peeta and turns to Gale, only then does he see the small baby bump prodding out from Katniss's black shirt. Her eyes land on Gale and a mix of emotions cross Katniss's face, from utter surprise to complete puzzlement. "Gale!" Katniss says, she places her daughter on the floor and untangles herself from Peeta, "It's so good to see you!"

Gale rises from his spot on the ground and accepts Katniss's hug, "Katniss." Gale says breathlessly, he can feel the baby bump press against his abdomen. It's a lot for one man to take in. Going to surprise your girlfriend, arriving in a strange house where a strange man invites you in, finds out that she has a daughter _and _is married to the strange man, who is also the father of her daughter and her unborn child.

"Well, I have a lot to explain don't I?" Katniss jokes lightly.

"You sure do," Gale says.

* * *

**This **_**actually**_** happened to my older sisters friend, she moved to Italy and when her boyfriend went to visit her two years later **_**(thinking they were still together)**_**, she was married and preggers! So don't say this is unrealistic, because it actually has happened!**

**This is quite a short chapter, but I promise the story gets better and if you have any ideas private message me! I update one to two times a week, if you guys are wondering. **

**Again Please review, follow, and favorite! ~N**


	2. Chapter 2

**So here is chapter two! I can't believe the feedback I got from you guys! Thank you and please leave a review, follow and favorite! ~N**

* * *

**Katniss.**

Katniss Everdeen was twenty-one years of age when she decided to pursue a writing career in England. It wasn't just for a 'change of scenery,' Katniss wanted to escape the pressures of living at home. So she packed up and moved. Whilst on her travels Katniss Everdeen boarded with Annie Cresta - now formally known as Annie Odair – and her fiancé Finnick Odair. Katniss didn't like Finnick for a while because he was cocky and very handsome, but beneath all that self-indulgence Finnick was one of the best human beings Katniss had ever met.

Katniss then went to a small university in central London to pursue creative writing. And here she met the infamous Johanna Mason, whom she instantly disliked; but after having being paired for an assignment and strenuous hours of study time together, Katniss Everdeen couldn't help but love Jo.

Three weeks before Gale visited Katniss, Jo insisted that she come with her to Paris, France. Katniss reluctantly agreed and they left for France. Jo and Katniss stayed in a small apartment in the center of Paris. They did the usual, they saw Eiffel tower, they visited Musee d'Orsay, Musee du Louvre, and ate _a lot _of French cuisine.

It wasn't a week into their stay when Jo and Katniss met a very handsome waiter at a local café.

* * *

**Three years ago.**

Katniss follows Jo into a small café; the exposed brick walls and mahogany tables and chairs brought a very homey feel to the small café. They sat down at a corner table that faced a window; there they had a magnificent view over the small suburbs of Paris.

"So Kat what would you like to have?" Jo asks whilst picking up a small menu, "There are coffees, pastries, cakes, oh look cheese buns!"

Katniss perks up at the sound of cheese buns, "Really?" Jo nods vigorously and Katniss licks her lips in excitement. Not to soon a very tall and handsome waiter approaches them. Katniss is momentarily lost for words as she takes in his blonde hair that is pushed back, the Ray Ban glasses that sit on the bridge of his nose and his very strong jaw. He watches her with light blue eyes and he smiles lightly, showing a single dimple on his right cheek.

"Hello ladies may I take your order?" The waiter asks, he pulls a small note pad out of his apron and removes the pencil that was resting behind his ear.

"I'll take a vanilla milkshake and a doughnut," Jo answers, she sets her menu down and looks over to Katniss expectantly.

"And for the beautiful lady?" The waiter asks with a shy smile, Katniss is taken aback. _He _called _her _beautiful, she points to her self and he nods; Katniss then looks to Jo and she winks back at her. Katniss feels the blush crawling up her neck and burning her cheeks.

"Well, I- I'll get a coffee no sugar and no milk, and t- two cheese buns," Katniss instantly feels self conscious because of her stuttering and the fact that she ordered _two _cheese buns.

The waiter smiles and writes down her order, he slips the note pad back in the pocket of his apron and places the pencil back behind his ear. "Well I'll go get them immediately," The waiter says, "Oh and my name is Peeta by the way." His eyes linger on Katniss for a moment as he turns away from the girls and makes his way back into the kitchen.

Jo instantly turns to Katniss, her eyes wide and a shit-eating grin on her face, "Oh my fucking god!" Jo whisper yells, "He was totally checking you out, Everdeen!"

Johanna was never the one to be discreet. Katniss blushes and averts her eyes, she shrugs and picks at the chipping wood of the table, "I don't think he was."

"What do you think he was looking at? The bloody beige wall!" Jo uses her arms to make her point; Katniss turns around and is surprised to find a beige wall behind her. "Well Kat, you better work your magic because here come the sexy saint right now."

Peeta sets down the two drinks and the food, he smiles at them both. Katniss feels her heart quicken at the sight of his eyes crinkling up and his lone dimple showing, "Anything else?"

"Yes actually," Jo says, Katniss shoots her a glare before she continues, "We would like to know the locations of the best night clubs." Katniss sits back, relieved that Jo didn't ask him for his number.

Peeta thinks for a moment and nods, he pulls out his note pad and scribbles something down. He rips the piece of paper off and hands it to Jo, she scans the small note and nods approvingly, "Thank you."

"Not a problem," Peeta answers, he looks over to Katniss and she feels her cheeks heat up, "If you need anything else just tell me." With that Peeta leaves, the girls sit alone together at the table and eat their food in silence. Katniss devours her cheese buns; they were the most incredible tasting cheese buns she had ever tasted. They were better than the ones Gale got from the bakery that she liked, and at that moment Katniss remembered that she had a boyfriend.

"What are you thinking 'bout Kat?" Jo asks through a mouth full of doughnut, "You're over thinking something."

"It's nothing, I'm okay." Katniss dismisses.

"Nothing my ass," Jo snorts and picks up her phone. _It's nothing right?_ Katniss worries, _just nothing but an extremely good-looking waiter_. Katniss scolds herself, _c'mon Everdeen _you_ have a _boyfriend_, remember _Gale_?_

A little while later, the waiter comes back with a cheque. "It has been an honour waiting on you two lovely ladies, on this fine day, so here's your cheque." Peeta beams, glancing between Johanna and Katniss. But his eyes loiter on Katniss every once and a while.

"Thanks Blondie," Johanna remarks, "we enjoyed your hospitality and advice, and are sure to leave a generous tip." Katniss is trying to contain the blush that threatens to over take her neck and face; she can feel Peeta's eyes on her.

"I'm going to use the ladies room," Katniss says, rushed. "Be back in a few," she mumbles embarrassed. Once Katniss slips out of sight, she rushes in to the female toilet. She looks in the mirror and sees the deep red blush across her cheeks and neck, she shakes her head and stares at her self in the mirror, "Okay Katniss… You have a boyfriend, who loves you." And when those words leave her mouth her blush fades and her cheeks return back to their olive colour. Katniss smooths down her hair and straightens her father's jacket; she washes her hands to make it look like she used the bathroom and left. But when she saw a blushing Peeta, his biceps rippling as he rung his hands together, Katniss couldn't help but get a buzzing feeling, _down below_. Her eyes widen when he runs his hand through his hair and pushes his glasses back up his nose, Katniss almost sighs when she notices his finely shaped bottom. Katniss feels the blush return and she looks down to the floor, she makes her way over to them and interrupts their conversation.

"Ready to go?" Katniss asks, fiddling with her bag strap. Jo nods and follows Katniss out of the café.

"See yah later, Blondie," Johanna calls over her shoulder. Katniss and Jo leave, leaving the handsome waiter behind them

Later that night Katniss's phone buzzes, she instantly thinks it is Gale when she picks up, but she's surprised to find that it isn't.

"Hello?" Katniss asays into the phone.

"Hi, is this Katniss?" The male voice asks.

"Yeah."

"Good… um, this is Peeta from the café, and I was hoping that maybe I could take you and your friend to one of those night clubs I recommended to you." Peeta asks through the other end of the phone line.

Katniss thinks for a moment and realises, "Did Jo give you my number?"

"Yeah," He replies, she can hear the embarrassment in his voice and she smiles.

"Well we're free tomorrow night, we could go then," Katniss twirls her hair through her fingers as she lays on her bed, the hotel has two beds to a room so Jo is sitting on her laptop across from Katniss. She's watching her astounded that Katniss accepted Peeta's offer, _and _she's acting like a girl, she's twirling her hair through her fingers and smiling as she talks to the boy from the bakery. Johanna smiles mischievously and moves to Katniss's bed, she listens as Katniss talks to Peeta. She thanks him for the cheese buns and the coffee, Jo keeps listening as Katniss blushes and has a small smile on her lips. Katniss giggles, she never giggles, only when she is around her sister. She's surprised how smooth talking Peeta is, he listens how she talks about moving from America to England and knows when to say the right things. Katniss can't help but melt when he calls her beautiful, and how he talks about working in his fathers shop. She never knew that you could talk to someone like this.

Soon enough Katniss has to sleep, so they say their goodbyes and hang up. "Okay, where is Katniss and what have you done with her?" Jo asks Katniss, an almost worried tone to her voice. "Has this sexy guy put a spell on you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Katniss states nonchalantly, but the thing is that Katniss knew exactly what Jo was talking about. No one could do that to Katniss, not even Gale. She slips under the duvet and pulls it up to her chin.

"C'mon Kat! Tell me!" Jo whines, she makes her way to her bed and gets under the covers as well.

"Night Jo," Katniss says as she turns off the light.

* * *

The next afternoon Johanna and Katniss are getting ready to go to a high-end nightclub. Peeta called around lunch to confirm that they were going and to tell them that he was coming around at 5:30pm. And now it's 5:00, and the girls have finished their make up and hair and only need to choose a dress.

Jo picks a tight fitting black dress and what Jo calls them her 'hooker heels,' they're black-strapped 4-inch heels. Whereas Katniss has chosen a red strapless dress that flares out from her waist and falls just above her knees, and black flats. Her hair is pulled back from her face and cascades down her back in ringlets. Johanna just brushed her shoulder length hair back and pushed up her boobs. And at exactly five-thirty on the dot there was a knock at the door. Katniss rushed to open it and found a very handsome Peeta standing there in black trousers and a baby blue button down that matched his eyes, his glasses sat on the bridge of his nose just as they did the day before, but his hair is slicked back and he is clean shaven. Peeta takes Katniss in, his eyes widen and his mouth drops open slightly. Katniss blushes and smiles timidly, "You look…. Wow." Peeta says, breathlessly. He smiles showing his dimple and crinkling the sides of his eyes.

"Not so bad yourself, Bread boy," Jo says from behind Katniss. Katniss chuckles at the nickname Jo has given him, Peeta blushes and looks down at his brown leather shoes.

"Bread Boy?" Katniss asks Jo, she laughs and shakes her head. "Well we better go then." Peeta leads Jo and Katniss down to a small black car and Peeta starts to drive in the direction of the nightclub. When he pulls up he tosses the keys to a boy and walks towards the door, a steady line has formed out the front and only certain people have been let in.

Peeta walks towards a security guard and greets, "Hey Gloss, these ladies are with me." The guard smiles and opens the door for Peeta, he waves them in with him and they all make their way into the night club.

Different stages hold different sectors, a bar, a lounge, a dance floor, a DJ booth the list goes on. Peeta takes Jo and Katniss through the crowd to a secluded lounge, only a couple of people occupy the couches. Peeta sits down on a plush red armchair and smiles goofily at the girls. Katniss can't help but smile at his boyishness. "So bread Boy," Jo says, "How did you get into the VIP area?"

"My cousin Cashmere, she owns this place. The security guard out the front is her twin brother Gloss." Katniss could see that it was a very nice place, the people that occupied it looked very wealthy; all wearing expensive suits and dresses. For a while Jo and Peeta chat, but his eyes linger on Katniss, she always blushes when she catches him looking. He only smiles and turns his back to Jo.

* * *

Later in the night Peeta sits him self next to Katniss, he smiles shyly at her and says, "Tell me about your self."

Katniss looks over at Peeta and smiles; "Well I already told you that I moved from America to London. So I'll tell you why." Katniss explains to Peeta her creative writing, that it's hard being only twenty-two because people want experience. She then goes on about how she likes archery and that she goes on nature hikes, and not _once_ does she mention Gale.

"Well you are a very interesting person, miss Katniss Everdeen," Peeta smiles down at her.

"Now you tell me about you," Katniss prods Peeta.

He takes a sip of his beer and raises an eyebrow, "Well I am nothing compared to you, but it's worth a try." Katniss blushes and looks down at her hands, Peeta begins, "Well I moved from California to France when I was nineteen with my dad, I learnt fluent French in high school so I was fine. I am now twenty-four, I work for my father and my dream is to open my own bakery before I'm thirty. I paint and sell them to make a bit of extra money so I can move into a bigger house. I like the colour orange and my hobbies include baking and painting."

Katniss smiles broadly at Peeta, she can imagine him painting, with paint splattered down his T- shirt and through his hair. "That is very interesting, Peeta Mellark."

Peeta blushes, he looks around and stands up, he holds out his hand and says, "Dance with me."

"What? No, I can't dance," Katniss, says waving him off.

Peeta laughs, a very hearty and _sexy _laugh and replies, "I can't either." And at that moment she decides that she can't help but like Peeta Mellark. Being it is charismatic smile or his enticing eyes, or the way he listens to her, or how when he talks he uses his hands to get his point across. Be it the way he looks at her or the way it feels like she can talk to him for hours.

Katniss takes his hand and he leads her down to the dance floor, it's very crowed but they manage to get right in the middle. The music playing is heavy beats; they jump and sing along to the very trendy song. They laugh and dance crazily, but Katniss and Peeta do not take their eyes off of each other.

When the third song finishes they laugh and look at each other, it seems that they have some how only become inches from one another. Katniss look up at Peeta with an unrelenting smile, and he looks down at her his face consumed in a grin. He inches closer and whispers; "I want to kiss you so bad right now." Katniss feels a shudder reach up her spine as his hot breath blows on her face, his smile fades a bit and he bites his lip, and Katniss feels all tingly.

"The feeling in mutual," She replies with a smile, Peeta laughs and kisses her forehead. Katniss feels a tingling sensation form from where his lips meet her skin; Peeta pulls back and looks down at Katniss with a very boyish grin. "That's enough for me." Peeta laughs again and places his hands on her hips, she wraps her arms around his neck and they continue dancing.

* * *

Johanna and Katniss spent the rest of their trip in France with Peeta – when he wasn't working of course. He took them to many places, including Disney Land Paris. So when it came to say goodbye, Katniss just couldn't seem to let go of her Blonde haired and blue-eyed Baker. Even though they shared nothing but a peck on the forehead, Katniss and Peeta could feel themselves fall ever so slowly in love with each other.

In the week when Gale visited Katniss, she didn't mention Peeta at all. After having to leave Peeta and Jo in France (Jo was on a business trip), Katniss decided to leave the feelings behind too.

Even though Katniss convinced her self that she loved Gale, she couldn't help but feel as if something or someone was missing. When Gale arrived he hugged and kissed Katniss like any other boyfriend would, Katniss introduced him to Finnick and Annie and they all went out for dinner. Gale seemed eager to get Katniss alone but she just wasn't up to it.

Gale and Katniss did all the regular touristy stuff to do in England; but the only thing she let him do to her romantically, was kiss and sometimes hold each other's hands. Katniss used the excuse of stomach cramps and an on coming period as the reason to why she couldn't physically be with Gale. He was frustrated and a bit angry at first, but in the end it didn't bother him – okay it bothered him somewhat. Gale didn't understand why Katniss didn't want to be with him after almost six months of being apart, but he loved her so he let her go – this time. After Gale left, Katniss couldn't help but feel relieved almost, like she had been lying to herself for too long.

So the day after Gale had gone back to America, the pressure of having to be with him was gone and she felt great. But she had a lingering thought every once in a while, about Peeta. Katniss thought she left the feelings behind in France, but they crept up on her. Annie and Finnick were supportive enough, they kept telling her that maybe be it Peeta was 'the one' or it was just from being away from Gale for so long.

* * *

Two weeks after Gale left, there was a knock at the front door. Katniss got up from her comfortable position on the bed and cursed under her breath. She opened the door and said; "Hi Annie or Finnick aren't ho-" at that moment looked up and found none other than Peeta Mellark standing with a bunch of peonies and babies breath flowers.

He flashed a shy smile and said, "Katniss Everdeen, I am slowly but completely falling in love with you." Katniss stood in utter shock, waiting for Peeta to laugh and admit it was all a ruse.

"Excuse me?" Katniss whispered, she then noticed how Peeta was dressed. He looked very handsome with a white Tommy Hilfiger polo shirt, burnt orange shorts and white converse. His glasses sat on the bridge of his nose like they always did and his hair was swept to the side.

"Katniss… I," The usually smooth talker was replaced with a babbling Peeta. Katniss could feel her self blush at his adorableness. "Ugh... it's just since I met you, I could not get enough. Lets just say you're like a drug to me."

"A drug?" Katniss quirked an eyebrow and a small smile started to form on her lips.

"Yes a drug. And when you were gone I felt like I was having withdrawal symptoms…. Katniss I think I am falling in love with you." Peeta stuttered; he had been using his free hand to gesture and flail his arm around.

Katniss felt the urge to press her lips against Peeta's, but what she did surprise her. Katniss took his flailing arm and held his hand, she looked up at Peeta, smiled and said: "The feelings mutual."

Peeta burst out laughing just like he did when they were in the nightclub, he kissed Katniss's hand and handed her the bunch of flowers. Katniss inhaled their sweet scent and led Peeta into the lounge room.

They talked for hours about everything and anything, playing with each other's hands and hair, and being very open to one another. Peeta tells Katniss about how he started painting and his passion for baking, he has such animated expressions and he seems almost excited when he tells stories of his father. Katniss tells Peeta about the passing of her dad and how her mother kind of faded a way for a while, and how when she was frustrated she would go to the archery range and shoot arrows until the early hours of the morning.

And not once did they interrupt each other, they both watched and listened intently. Katniss felt so bare, she had never told anyone so much about herself, let alone a guy she has known for a month. But Peeta on the other has had women stomp all over him, he wears his heart on his sleeve; but he can't help but feel that Katniss isn't the type of girl to do that. She seems to mature and serious to do anything of that sort.

So when dinnertime rolled around, Peeta and Katniss knew one another like the backs of their hands. Katniss sat on Peeta's lap, while they lay back on the couch talking about cheese buns. Peeta held Katniss's hands in his, tracing the lines and crevasses, she visibly shuddered and he smiled. He moved his head so his lips were touching the shell of her ear, Peeta whispered; "May I please kiss you, Katniss?"

Katniss turned around and looked into Peeta's beautiful blue eyes and nodded ever so slightly. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, they were soft and sweet. She tangled her fingers through his hair and pulled him closer, he smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist. Katniss had never felt so happy in her life, she felt happy when she was graduating high school and left for England; but she never felt as content as she was now. Same goes for Peeta, he was kissing the most beautiful woman he had ever met. He thought that he would not have a hope in hell with her, but here he was kissing her.

They were interrupted by the sound of the front door shutting and a set of footsteps echo through the hallway. "Katniss!" Finnick hollered, "I'm home!" He dropped the shopping bags on the kitchen bench top and turned around to find Katniss sitting on Peeta's lap. "So this is the hottie you met in France?"

Katniss blushed and nodded, "Yeah Finnick, this is Peeta Mellark."

"Mellark? As in Peeta Mellark?" Finnick asked curiously.

"Finnick?" Peeta said, "Oh my god dude! Long time no see." Katniss removed herself from Peeta's lap and he stood to hug Finnick. "I haven't seen you since you got with Annie and that was three years ago. How's that going?" Peeta asks as he 'man hugged' Finnick.

"Yeah man, Annie and I are getting married in October. So yeah planning is in over load, but what about you, how is your dad?" Finnick asks Peeta, both men smiling.

"Oh yeah he's great the bakery is going fine," Peeta responds, "Yeah I'm hoping to open my own soon, so that's big. Are you still working at the aquatic centre?"

"Yeah I am, I started my own business for swimming lessons and that is doing great." Finnick said. They talked for a while, catching up on the years the lost, they tell Katniss how they met in Peeta's cousins nightclub; they both worked at the bar and became quick friends. Katniss smiles as she watches the boys reminisce, they laugh and have a couple of solemn moments, but over all they seem ecstatic to see each other.

Finnick says when the excitement die down, "So you and Kat, aye?"

Peeta nods and takes her hand, "Yeah, I think she has already told you about our meeting."

"Yeah Annie kept quizzing Katniss if she met any one, looks like you're him," Finnick replies with an easy smile.

"Well," Peeta smirks, "I am privileged to be that man." Katniss blushes and kisses him on the cheek. Finnick snorts and left the room, claiming that he needed to give the 'love birds privacy.'

* * *

**Okay so there is chapter 2. Please check out my other divergent story, **_**A dauntless life with Caleb? **_**I'm finishing it up soon and I am hoping for a lot of feedback for both this fic and my other one!**

**Review, Follow, Favorite.**

**Happy Easter and I love you all! ~N **

**Follow me on Tumblr at FightforFiction. Tumblr. com, no spaces. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I know there is _a lot_ of confusion with this story, but I promise that everything will be clearer in the later chapters. There will be a lot of flashbacks from different characters, giving you every side of this particular story!**

**Who those wonder why I chose the name _Fidelity, _it means faithfulness to a person, a cause or belief. As you can tell about this story the title is referring to Gale. If you want elaboration you can just look it up on google to find more answers. **

**Anyway here is chapter 3.**

* * *

**Present day. **

Gale follows Katniss into a study down the hall; a mahogany desk stands in the middle with a Mac book perched on top. An art easel sits in the corner with a painting of a small girl with black hair and blue eyes; a wall-mounted bookshelf holds photos of Katniss and Peeta. Gale's eyes immediately land on the photo of Peeta and Katniss standing under a lavender willow tree, Katniss wears a flowing white dress with a lace veil; Peeta wears a burnt orange bowtie with a white button down that is tucked into black dress pants. This must be a wedding photo, Katniss has her arms wrapped around his neck and he has his hands set on her waist and they look crazy in love with each other.

Gale looks around the room and finds more paintings of the small young girl, some of her out side and others with her playing with her dolls or holding her ear to a woman's belly. "What are these paintings?" Gale asked curiously, he is angry with Katniss but his inquisitiveness wins out in the end.

"Oh I am writing a children's' book and Peeta is using gouache to paint the main character, which is obviously Willow." Katniss answers, smiling up at the paintings that line the wall. There are also pictures of Peeta and Katniss at ultra-sounds, and one of Peeta crying as he holds his new born daughter in his arms and Katniss watching him - looking dishevelled – from the hospital bed, also with tears in her eyes.

"Cool," Gale answers quietly, he can't help let the jealousness seep through his voice. He imagined Katniss and him getting married and doing little projects together. "So tell me when were you planning on notifying me about getting married, and having a baby with a random guy." Gale asks, his anger now bubbling up inside.

Katniss looks at Gale in shock and raises her eyebrows; she folds her arms and sets them on her belly. "Well Gale, when you left from your visit three years ago; I had made the acquaintance of Peeta Mellark. He - lets just say, 'swept me off my feet', two weeks after we started dating I told him I loved him, I felt so awesome with him. That is the only word that describes what I feel like when I am with Peeta. Awesome.

"He said he also loved me and we got married three months later. A month after the wedding, I found out I was pregnant with Willow. I was kind of panicked, but the way Peeta started going on about the times we would have with her and how happy we would all be, I couldn't be upset anymore. So we moved here into this four bedroom and two bathroom home, and made preparations for the nursery and Peeta 'baby proofed' the house. And a few months later, this bundle of love came and I could not imagine having a family this perfect."

Katniss's words stung Gale, _'a perfect family,' 'swept off of her feet,' _Gale thought that he was romantic. But Peeta must tip the scales. Katniss lets her words sink in a bit and Gale looks up at Katniss, her grey eyes scan him nervously and she bites her lip, he loves when she does that.

"Did you ever think of sending me an invitation to the wedding or sending me a voice mail explaining this all to me?" Gale questions, his voiced jaded.

Katniss looks at him quizzically, "I sent them, and my Uncle Haymitch said he would take care of it."

And at that moment Gale realised that Haymitch withheld the post cards from him, "That bastard." Gale mutters under his breath, he scrubs his face with his hands and sighs heavily. "He kept the cards from me, that fucking bastard."

"Language!" Katniss snaps, she reminds Gale of his mother, "there are children in the house! And any way Uncle Haymitch said that he didn't receive the letters that were meant for you."

"Well he could have just said that," Gale counters like a child, Katniss leans forward in her seat, she eyes Gale and the all to familiar scowl has settled onto her features again. Gale missed the way her eyes would squint and a small pout would form on her lips. It was in those moments where he would want to kiss her most.

"I think he was telling the truth," Katniss sits back once again, her eyebrows furrowed and her grey eyes unrelenting. "Gale you're over reacting."

"Over reacting?" Gale is taken aback by he statement,

"Yes! Over reacting! I thought you'd be at least somewhat happy with me; I have accomplished everything you thought I wouldn't! I have a gorgeous husband, a beautiful daughter, my writing has taken off, I live in an amazing house in an amazing city and I'm expecting _again_. Can't you just be happy for me?" Katniss's voice rises.

Gale looks at her, and he is happy for her, But extremely jealous. He thought they would accomplish those things _together, _he thought they would marry and line in a town house, where he would come home to her and their children, everyday. It was a bit out of reach, but he still dreamt it. Gale goes to answer Katniss, when loud music starts to play from the lounge room. He was being interrupted a lot lately.

Katniss stands and leaves the study with Gale trailing behind her; they enter the lounge room to find Peeta, Willow, Annie and little Finn dancing. The movie Sleeping Beauty plays, and the girl is singing 'Once Upon A Dream'. Katniss watches as Peeta waltzes with Willow on his hip and Annie dances with Finn standing on her feet.

When Peeta spots Katniss, he places Willow on the ground and extends his hand out to her, "May I have this dance Mrs Mellark?"

Katniss blushes furiously and takes his hand, "Of course you can Mr Mellark." And with that Peeta pulls Katniss into his arms and they start to waltz together. Willow and Finn decide to dance together, but that consists of them just wrapping their arms around each other and swaying.

Gale watches as Peeta and Katniss sing along together, "_I know you, I walked with you, once upon a dream."_

Her voice cuts through the music just like her fathers one did and Peeta's voice is low and clear. Once in their time together did Katniss ever sing to Gale, it was on their one-year anniversary; She sang along to the radio happily, but she didn't notice when Gale turned down the stereo and he listened to her perfect voice.

But watching Katniss sing so easily, he felt the now familiar feeling of jealousy bubble up inside of him. Katniss laughs and kisses Peeta's jaw, as he whispers to her. Gale sees that Peeta moves his hand that's on Katniss's hip to her butt, and Katniss is taken by surprise, "Oh, Mr Mellark!"

"Yes Mrs Mellark?" Peeta asks in his signature smile.

Katniss gives him a coy look and blushes vigorously, "Oh it's nothing."

Peeta chuckles and kisses her lightly on the lips, the song ends. Katniss and Peeta stay in each others arms, Gale watches - enviously - as Peeta places a small peck on her nose; She chuckles lightly and nuzzles into his neck. Gale runs his hand through his hair and sighs heavily. Katniss breaks away from Peeta and turns back to him; she clears her throat and says, "Lets get back to the study."

They go back into the study and Katniss closes the door behind her, she sits across from Gale and scrubs her hands over her face. "Is there anything else you want to know?" Katniss asks, she almost sounds annoyed.

"I want you to come home with me Katniss," Gale answers truthfully. All he wants to do is take her back to America and live happily ever after. When he spoke those words, his mouth was moving faster than his mind, and now he is regretting it.

Katniss stares back at Gale in shock, she furrows her brows and gawks at him. "What did you say?"

Gale looks at her intently and replies, "I want you to come home to your mother and Prim. You don't belong here." His voice is strong, but he can't help but shift his gaze from her death glare.

"If you haven't noticed, Gale," She spits his name like it is venom, he flinches at her callousness. "I am married. I am a mother. I live here. _And _I am pregnant with Peeta's second child. Not to mention, my mother and Prim attended my wedding. As did yours."

It hurts Gale. Why didn't his mother tell him about Katniss and Peeta? He looks down at the floor and chews on his cheek. Feeling instantly childish at his statement. Katniss releases a ragged breath and says, "I'm going to get some coffee. You can look through Peeta's portfolios if you want." With that Katniss leaves the room.

Gale stands and makes his way over to the bookcase. Expensive looking leather back journals are stacked high on the shelves, Gale scans through the volumes of books until his eyes land on one that is shoved high in the corner. The brown leather in slightly worn and the pages are somewhat tinted brown. He takes the journal in his hands and runs his fingers over the rough leather.

He sits on the plush red couch and opens the book. In extremely neat handwriting some one has written: '_Your naked body should only belong to those who fall in love with your naked soul.' ~ Charles Chaplain._

Gale flicks the page over and his eyes follow the contour of the sketch. It takes a moment to realise that it is a drawing of Katniss in bed, naked. Her eyes are closed and a small smile resides on her lips; her hair is ruffled up and her duvet is covering her waist down. Peeta has captured the sharp contours and the soft curves, of her body. Gale looks at her breasts, he feels a bit pervert-ish.

So he looks onto the next page, where he finds another drawing of Katniss naked. This time she sits with a blanket over her legs and she is holding a piece of what seems to be pizza to her mouth. Her hair is expertly braided and an easy smile is on her lips. A photo has been stuck to the next page; it is a replica of the drawing, this time in colour. The light shines through the window and her skin glows, it must have been taken with a high definition camera because every detail is picked up on.

Gale continuously flicks through the pages; every single drawing or picture is of Katniss naked. She's in the bathroom or bedroom or beach or kitchen or lounge room. Gale's mind races, _how many times have they been together like that?_ He thinks to himself. He stops at one, this seems to be the only one with Peeta in it. In the corner sits the Polaroid photo, they stand in front of a mirror. Katniss has stretch marks on her stomach and breasts, Peeta stands behind her holding the camera; they are both smiling wildly, Gale notices how her stomach pokes out, she must have been pregnant. Yet again they are naked, and under the photograph is a perfect duplication of the photo, only with colour this time.

Gale continues on, he keeps thinking to himself: _I have seen Katniss naked before. _Gale closes the book; he has had enough of it, even though he kind of _enjoyed _the art. Gale couldn't get the jealous feeling well up inside of him knowing that Peeta drew all of them.

Soon enough Katniss enters with two mugs in her hands and she looks at the journal in Gale's hands. "So you found that one." She sighs irritated, "Why did it have to be that one?"

"Why did he do these? Why did you hide them?" Gale asks, avoiding Katniss's question.

She shakes her head and sips on her coffee, "Well first of all Peeta is my husband, second of all we hide it because we have a two year old daughter and last but not least, I don't like people seeing naked drawings of me."

Gale looks at her and shakes his head; this day has been a total train wreck. "I…I just, ugh." Gale rubs his fists into his eyes and buries his head into his hands. "I miss you so much Katniss. You can't expect me to throw away feelings that I have had for years, in one day. This has just been thrusted upon me and I have no idea what I am feeling."

Katniss nods and sips on her coffee idly, she takes her book from his hands and places it high on the shelf. Concealing it from view. "I'll just back off a bit, to let you clear your thoughts." She says. Katniss tells Gale how to pull the couch out into a bed and gives him directions to where the bathroom is. He thanks her.

But when Katniss goes to leave, Gale grabs her wrist and says, "tell Peeta the drawings were amazing. He really captured your beauty." Katniss gives him a timid smile and exits the room.

That's when Gale knows that he is never getting her back.

* * *

**So how'd you guys like it? Sorry for not updating sooner! I have the flu ;( cri. I very much appreciate your feed back, it makes me want to write more! And for those who read my other _Divergent _story, I apologise on the wait, this next chapter is the finale and it needs to be perfect. **

**I love you all****, au revore mis amigos ~N**


	4. Chapter 4

**URGENT AUTHORS NOTE! I RECOMMEND READING THIS!**

(Chapter 4 underneath)

_**Fidelity: faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.**_

**To all the people who are confused about this story,**

**I apologize for the confusion I have caused, this story is meant to make you question what happens in the time that Katniss and Gale had been separated. I have received a lot of criticism about this particular story, not necessarily constructive criticism. **

**This story consists of a lot of flashbacks, and present day POV's. This story is kind of written backwards, starting with the ending and slowly helping you understand what really happened and the events that led to this situation. **

**If you had read the last chapter of Fidelity you would have read that Haymitch had been withholding all letters Katniss sent to Gale. And you will find out why this coming chapters. I'm not sure about other countries, but in the army of Australia, troops can go months with out direct contact to family. I know this first hand. **

**This story was written to make you – the reader – question the motives of the protagonists, this story is written to make you slowly understand the situation. Each chapter adds a piece to the puzzle, if you will. You have to open your mind to possibilities that this story has.**

**Once again I apologize for this confusion, this story is in its early stages, it needs to have a foundation to be built up. I am afraid that if this criticism or **_**'hate' **_**continues, I will have to discontinue **_**Fidelity**_**. **

**And for the people who wonder about the name. Here is a small list:**

**-Gale is committed to Katniss whilst being away from her**

**-Katniss is committed to Peeta and her friendship with Gale**

**-Haymitch is committed to keeping Gale away from Katniss**

**-Jo is committed to keeping her best friend happy**

**-Willow is committed to being a cutie pie. **

**Thank you to those who held out for better explanation, and to the people that actually read this authors note. I thank you all for taking the time to read this story; I very much enjoy writing this Fic for you all. If you have any questions PM me. **

**Now please enjoy chapter 4. ~N**

* * *

**Gale.**

The only thing that can be registered by Gale this early in the morning is the tune from the '_Adventure Time' _theme song. He groggily opens is heavy eyelids and rolls over so he can see the red numbers of is alarm clock; the numbers 7:15 flash back at him. Jet lag is a bitch.

He sits up slowly, his muscles screaming in protest as he stretches his arms over his head. Gale rubs his hands over his face and pulls the covers away from him. The only light is the light that has being able to escape from the blinds in Katniss's study.

Yesterday's conversations play in his head continuously as he slips into a t-shirt and shorts from his suitcase. This trip was supposed to be completely different, he was supposed to come back to Katniss, take her out and propose, they would then go choose her a ring and be married by Christmas. Well that all turned to shit.

He opens the study door and trudges down the hallway, when he enters the dining area; he finds Willow propped up in her high chair. She is watching the cartoon on the television intently, while she chews on what seems to be a pancake. He looks over into the kitchen where Katniss sits on the bench, who is watching Peeta cook at the stove.

"Morning," Gale greets; he has to raise his voice over the television.

Katniss looks over in his direction and smiles she lowers her self off of the bench and makes her way to Gale, she pulls him into a hug and squeezes him. He hugs her back tentatively; afraid he'll over step the boundaries with her husband five feet away. Katniss pulls away and smiles up at him.

"Good morning Gale, what type of pancakes of pancakes would you like," She asks in a cheery voice. He is taken aback by her joviality; she has never been like this in the morning. Before she left, Katniss would be almost violent in the morning.

"Uhhh," He scratches the stubble on his chin and looks to Peeta that is in the kitchen. "What are you making Peeta?"

He turns around and smiles graciously, "Well Gale, I got choc chip, honey comb, berry, or just plain pancakes, I really don't mind, Katniss loves these."

Gale looks back down at Katniss, but finds her looking at Peeta wistfully. God. He clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck, "I- I'll have some choc chip ones thanks."

Peeta nods and turns back around to the stovetop. Katniss ushers Gale into a dining table chair and sits across from him. He looks at her expectantly and she beings, "So today we are going to go over our… predicament."

"You call this a predicament?"

"Shut up Gale, let me talk," Katniss snaps playfully. She furrows her eyebrows, but her smirk betrays her. "As I was saying, we are going to go over everything that happened. But first we need to eat and urinate."

"You're the only one that needs to pee honey," Peeta calls from the kitchen. Katniss's head shoots in his direction and she glares at him.

"Well, you're not the one that is pregnant, Mellark!" She counters; she crosses her arms over her chest triumphantly as Peeta turns around with a sour expression.

"Shut up, Everdeen."

"Make me, Mellark."

"Oh I will, but you might moan a bit."

Katniss slams her hands on the table and looks to Gale, she rises from her chair and says, "Excuse me Gale, I have to have a private word with my husband."

Gale nods quickly as Katniss leaves her spot, grabs Peeta's hand and brings him up the stairs; he then hears a door shut. Gale idly looks around the cozy room, until his eyes land on Willow, who is watching him with a suspicious look on her face.

"I don't like you," She states.

Gale looks at the toddler quizzically and asks, "Why?"

Willow rolls her eyes, like he should know the answer. "Didn't you hear my mummy crying last night? You made her cry, my daddy was very worried."

"I'm sorry about that," Gale says, he is taken aback by how fluent this child can speak, how grown up she sounds. Gale didn't think about how Katniss would handle his return, he thought she would be happy and/ or surprised, he didn't run scenarios through his mind. "I didn't mean to make her cry."

"Well don't make it happen again," Willow snaps, her fierce blue eyes boring into Gale, she definitely inherited Katniss's temper.

"Got it." Gale says quickly. The toddler sits back in her chair and squints her eyes at him; he shifts uncomfortably in his chair and ducks his head down.

It's a couple of minutes until Katniss and Peeta scurry back down the stairs, she is smoothing down her hair, Peeta licks his fingers and washes his hands hastily. Gale's eyes widen in realization, he looks to Willow, who has a smug expression on her face. How can she know what they did?

"Before I was so rudely interrupted," Katniss starts as she sits back in her seat, she rests her hands together on the table, "I was thinking we could have a discussion about where our relationship stands and what we are going to decide."

Katniss lets her words sink in and Gale nods in affirmation. "Okay good idea, I just want to ask a few questions."

"Good," Katniss says, she smiles triumphantly and folds her arms together.

Peeta walks over with two plates and a stack of pancakes; he then grabs the maple syrup and sets it on the table. He says, "Breakfast is served."

"Thank you," Gale says as he places a choc chip pancake on his plate, before smothering it maple syrup. Peeta nods happily and sits next to Katniss, picking bits of pancake off of her plate.

Gale has never – ever – seen a couple this happy before, they seem like they're high all the time, maybe with the acceptation of Willow. Katniss and Peeta seem to be in a state of euphoria all the time, it's like they never left the honeymoon state. Which is very strange.

This must be why Katniss married Peeta, he makes her happy, Gale thought that when they were together they fought all the time, but in the end they would figure out the problem. But with these two they must never have serious fights.

Gale eats in quiet, he watches the couple interact together. She seems to have her hand on his thigh and his eyes are as big as saucers. Peeta suddenly stands up and kisses Katniss on the head, before saying, "I need to have a shower and get ready for work."

Katniss gives Peeta a coy look, "Okay, thank you for breakfast, it was lovely."

"Anything for my beautiful wife," Peeta replies, he then kisses his daughter on the fore head, smiles at Gale and bounds up the stairs.

Katniss gives him an expectant look, he rubs his hands over his face and shakes his head. He knows what she wants to hear, "He would be easier to hate, if he wasn't so nice."

Katniss smiles smugly and raises her eyebrows, "I knew you would say something like that, it's hard to not like Peeta Mellark."

Gale nods his head in agreement, and looks back down at his empty plate. Katniss turns to her daughter and they start a conversation about the cartoon on the TV. He listens how they talk to each other, almost like grown ups, not like Katniss is talking to a two year old.

When Willow turns back to the TV, Gale smiles and says to Katniss, "Your daughter is a very good speaker."

"She gets that from Peeta, she also gets his compassion and his sense of humor." Katniss watches Willow with a content smile on her lips.

"She has your temper though," Gale comments, his play at lightheartedness has paid off, when Katniss laughs and nods in agreement.

"She sure does."

* * *

After Peeta leaves for work, and everyone is ready for the day. Katniss takes Willow and Gale to a park, the sign reads _Down Lane Park. _Annie sits on a bench with little Finn and Finnick on either side of her. The young boy lights up at the sight of Willow, he jumps from the seat and they both bolt to the child-infested playground.

Finnick stands and shakes Gales hand, he makes a comment on how much buffer Gale has gotten. He accepts the strange compliment and greets Annie by nodding in her direction. The girls make chit chat, whilst Finnick and Gale stand there awkwardly.

"So…" Finnick starts, "Peet told me about you and kitty cat's fight."

"I wouldn't call it a fi-," Gale looks at Finnick quizzically and asks, "Kitty cat?"

"You don't call Katniss Kitty Cat?" Finnick asks, a surprised tone to his voice.

"No… I call her Catnip." Gale answers.

Finnick laughs and pats Gale on the shoulder approvingly. "That's a good one, Hawthorne."

Soon Katniss and Annie finish their conversation and Katniss says to Gale, "Annie and Finnick will watch Willow and Finn, and we are going for a walk."

Gale nods in agreement. Katniss kisses her daughter, and they start to walk around the green of the park. The early sun is warming upon the skin, and the breeze has a slight nip to it. Last time Gale visited England, the sky was over cast and it seemed to be cold constantly. But this was perfect. It seems too good for his glum situation. Ironic isn't it? Well Gale can't choose when bad things happen to him, at least he gets to talk to Katniss alone.

"So Gale ask me any question you want," Katniss says, after two minutes of silent strolling.

Gale looks at Katniss, her hair pulled back into her signature braid, the red check dress hanging off of her curvy frame. He rarely saw her in dresses when they were younger, she always insisted on shorts or jeans, she said dresses were too constricting. Gale's happy that Katniss can be comfortable with herself.

He quickly looks to the ground when she looks up at him, waiting for a question. He clears his throat and says, "Did you know Peeta when I cam to visit?"

Katniss nods her head and looks up at Gale she tucks the stray strands of her braid behind her ear and says, "Yeah, I did. I thought I would never see him again, so I didn't say anything about him to you, I know you would have just gotten angry."

Gale ducks his head and shoves his hands into his jacket pockets; he knows that he would have blown up at Katniss hanging out with another guy, especially a French-American guy. "Yeah, I would have… well I am."

"And I don't blame you for your reaction Gale," Katniss consoles. Gale looks up, and finds her strong grey eyes watching him carefully. "If you went to a different country, found this girl and I came years later expecting to be together, I would say my reaction would be the same."

"That is quite true." He says, he scans over the lush green park; people throw balls for their dogs. Couples walk together hand in hand, children scream as they run around.

"I don't think I could have married you, Gale," Katniss bursts suddenly. Gale looks at her, he furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head in confusion. "I mean… we're too the same, Yah know? I need someone to keep me grounded, and that someone is Peeta. We would fight all the time because we are too stubborn, we would probably ignore each other for days on end after a stupid argument, and then most likely make up by having sex."

Every word that Katniss says is true, and Gale knows that. He knows that they are too much alike to ever have worked out; he is surprised that they lasted so long in a relationship. It was probably a matter of time before they broke up; He keeps quiet, letting the silence speak for itself, Katniss knows she is right.

Gale wonders when Katniss told Peeta about him, what was his reaction? Did he get angry? Was he surprised? Gale squints his eyes in the sunlight and asks Katniss the question on his mind. "What was Peeta's reaction when you told him about me?"

Katniss looks over to Gale and answers, "He was surprised… I mean I think he was angry, but overall he was shocked."

* * *

**Three years ago.**

Katniss scribbles the words down quickly on the lined paper, this was her eighth letter to Gale, he had not replied to her at all. Haymitch told her that the letters were going to him and that he may need some space, but Katniss couldn't handle the fact that Gale was angry with her for finding Peeta. She thought that he might not be receiving the letters, but she knew that Haymitch would definitely pass on the letters.

The sound of the doorbell pulls her out of her writing daze; she gets up and goes to answer the door, where Peeta greets her; he smiles contentedly at her and pulls her into a hug. Two months it had been since they had started dating, six weeks since they said '_I love you'_ too each other.

"I missed you," He hums into her ear.

"I missed you, too." Katniss replied, she pulled away and took his hand, haphazardly pulling him to her room. She sat down in her desk chair and he sat on her bed, legs crossed.

He started talking to her about taking her to dinner and the cinema for their _'Date night,' _but Katniss's eyes remained on the letter, with the extremely messy handwriting sprawled in between the lines.

"Katniss." Her head shot towards Peeta, his eyes trained on her and a worried expression sat on his face. "Are you okay, babe?"

She nodded her head and looked back down to her desk, she picked at the fraying wood, and shrugged her shoulders for effect. "Yeah…"

"You know you can tell me everything right, Kat?" Peeta rose from his spot on the bed and kneeled in font on her, his blue eyes bright in contrast to his dark eyelashes. "Are you okay?"

"Peeta, I need to tell you something." Katniss said, and with that his demeanor changed from worried to anxious, his eyes widened and his lips pursed. "I have a friend back home, he was once my boyfriend. I was with him when I came to England, but I have broken up with him. He will not return my messages or write back to him, I think he is just angry."

Peeta's face relaxed and he raised his eyebrows curiously. "Did you break up with him when you met me?"

Katniss nodded and looked down at the floor, wanting to avoid Peeta's gaze, but she could feel him watching her. "Yeah… We were never going to work out anyway, I just feel this thing with you that I have never felt with Gale."

"So his name is Gale?" Peeta asked, Katniss nodded and felt him place his hands on her thighs, he started to trace circles on her skin with his thumbs; which sent shivers up her spine.

"Yeah Gale Hawthorne, we've known each other for years," Katniss answered, her mind was going fuzzy from the feeling of his delicate touches.

Katniss could see a hint of jealousy in his eyes; Peeta stood up and pulled Katniss up with him. She rested her hands on his shoulders and he set his hands on her waist, he pressed his forehead to hers and said, "I don't mind, I think that you need to call him."

"I've tried though," Katniss, said, her voice almost like a whine. "But it goes to message, I think he listened to them though and he's ignoring me. We're alike like that, too stubborn for our own good."

Peeta chuckled at her statement; he pulled back so he could look her directly in the eyes. "How about you finish up that letter and I'll leave a little note at the bottom, telling him that you are in good hands and that I will take care of you."

Katniss crushed her lips against Peeta and felt a moan rumble from his chest, he pulled back and grinned at her boyishly. She traced her fingers along his jaw and said, "I know you'll take care of me Peeta."

* * *

**Present.**

"So you sent me multiple letters?" Gale asks Katniss, they seem to have walked the perimeter of the park. The playground is coming back into view and the squealing of children can be heard from two hundred meters away.

"Yeah," Katniss answers, "They must be at you house, or at your mothers."

"No if they were at my mothers she would have given them to me when I returned, I haven't been to my house since I got back from base. I literally, saw my family, got on a plane and came here." Gale says.

Katniss winces at Gale's statement, he looks down at his shoes knowing that he hurt her, she probably thinks he is trying to guilt trip her. "I'm just saying, I haven't received any letters, they could be at my house…. Or your uncle could be keeping them from me."

Katniss lets a breath out and looks over to Gale; she rubs her eyes and shakes her head. "Haymitch would only hold them for a reason Gale, he's like that."

Gale falters for a moment. _Haymitch couldn't know, could he? He told no one, how could he know?_ Gale quickly regains his composure before they arrive back at the park. Willow and Finn run towards them and latch onto Katniss's leg greeting them. Finnick, Annie and Katniss watch the children, and chat to each other.

Gale slips away, pulls out his phone and enters the number for international calls. He checks his watch, it would be six o'clock in the morning at home; the phone is picked up on the fifth ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom I want to talk to you for a moment," Gale says into the phone. He can hear his mother stall for a moment.

"Is this about me not telling you?" Hazelle asks tentatively, over the years she has learnt how to tip toe around her eldest son, he never had a good temper.

"What do you think?" Gale practically spits, "Why didn't you tell me about her wedding!"

Hazelle inhales sharply and snaps, "It isn't my place to tell you Gale, Katniss said that you hadn't replied to the wedding invite and you would return any of her letters or messages. You know how you hold grudges Gale."

"Then how did you know that I didn't know about Katniss getting married?" Gale asks, his voice now lower, not wanting attention from random strangers.

"Well Gale when you came home and you were adamant on going to see her, I knew. But I didn't tell you because you would blow up and never actually talk to her again; I knew that going to see her would settle you. Peeta is a very nice young man, I wanted you to see that." Hazelle answers sternly.

Gale wavers, what his mother did was right. He drags his hand over his face and shakes his head, he exhales slowly and says, "Thank you mom, what you did was the right thing to do and I know that I would put my friendship in jeopardy if you told me. I love you, sorry to bother you. Bye."

Hazelle bids goodbye to her eldest son and hangs up. Gale walks back to Katniss and closes his eyes, she quirks her head to the side, "Who are you angry with?"

"I'm not angry. I just talked to my mom, I just asked why she didn't tell me about you and Peeta." Gale answers, he looks over to Katniss, who has a hard expression on her face. "I thanked her, it was the right thing to do."

Katniss's face lights up and she says to Gale, "Well that was very courteous of you Gale, I never thought that you could think straight." He shoots her a sour look, but she just laughs at him, punching his arm playfully.

A familiar tune plays, Gale looks around and Katniss pulls a phone from her bag. "Is that the Valley Song?"

"Yeah it's my ring tone." Katniss answers, somewhat embarrassed. She answers and her face lights up, she gushes for a moment and then makes confirmation sounds. A minute later she hangs up and tucks the phone away.

"Mummy who was that?" Willow yells as she barrels towards Katniss.

Katniss scoops her daughter up in her arms; she smiles excitedly at the young girl and answers. "Uncle Haymitch is coming to visit."

* * *

**Okay there is chapter 4, I hope that your misperception of this story has been cleared somewhat, and that later chapters will slowly puzzle together this story. I once again apologize; I kind of needed to clear the air. **

**Thank you to all who have reviewed and given me feed back! It really helps me, and gives me drive to write. **

**I love you all and PM me if you have any more questions. ~N**

**Review-Follow-Favourite **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everybody! I am finally updating… it's been along time. This chapter ain't as long as my others. See the authors note down below for more info. (BTW it's my birthday)**

* * *

_**Four years ago. **_

**Katniss. **

Katniss dangles her legs off the side of her bed; she stares at the off-white ceiling of her room, thinking pensively. She hums a small tune to her self, the shadows of the tree outside her window casts magnificent patterns across her room. She is planning on telling Gale today, her plan for the next few years, and her escape from Tennessee.

She can feel her self dip out of consciousness, she invited him over a few hours ago and yet he still hasn't turned up. Well this isn't odd for Gale; you always should expect him to be late. Katniss almost misses the small knock at her door; she picks her head up and turns her attention to the man in the doorframe.

"Hey," Gale greets her, an easy smile resting on his lips. Katniss moves her gaze back up to the ceiling and waves to Gale in response. He grabs her desk chair and faces it to her, while taking a seat. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

Katniss exhales heavily and sits her self up, rubbing her eyes as she does so. She reaches over to her bedside table and pulls open a drawer, inside sits a leather back journal, the material is worn and the leather has become a lighter tint with time. She turns back to Gale and places the book on her lap, smoothing the cover down.

"Gale," She begins, her voice wavering a bit. "In this book is… my life plans. I started this about . . . a year ago? When my Uncle Haymitch got me that pen pal in England, Annie Cresta. A few months ago Annie suggested that I go over to London for a bit, but not just for a holiday, to live there."

Katniss watches her boyfriend's expression grow confused as she continues on talking; her nerves slowly fall away as she goes into detail about what she plans and why she is doing this.

When Katniss stops, she watches Gale as he thinks. When his eyes meet her unrelenting stare, he lets out an exasperated sigh, and he asks, "Why would you want to do this Katniss? You have your mother and Prim, and me . . . What about the band, with Madge and Thom?"

Katniss shakes her head and retorts, "Well Gale the band wasn't really going anywhere; well for me it wasn't anyway. I just don't think music is for me, and I'm sure that Leevy would make a fine singer for you guys."

Gale shakes his head furiously and retorts, "Well Leevy isn't you, Catnip. This was our thing, you know? Music, I know you love making it."

Katniss rolls her eyes and flops back onto her bed, shaking her head as she does so. She presses the heel of her hands into her eyes, making kaleidoscope patterns dance across her eyelids. She listens as Gale tries to reason with her, and how this isn't a step in the right direction.

"Stop Gale!" She yells after a few minutes, the outburst making him shut his mouth, and his eyes looking away. "You… it's… no. _You_ don't think it is a step in the right direction for me, you're angry because I'm not following your plans."

Gale looks at her incredulously and spits, "Why would you think that?"

Katniss laughs and sits back up, receiving a confused look from her boyfriend. She folds her hands in her lap and says, "Because Gale… if it were you leaving, I would think the same thing. We are exactly alike, I know what you're thinking and you are the same with me."

"I don't know what you're thinking now, Katniss." Gale says, he scrubs his face in his hands and asks, "What about Prim and Your Mom? What about me? What about us?"

Katniss leans forward and takes one of Gale's hands in hers, his rough calloused skin running over her hands. His expression softens at this sign of affection. Katniss had never been one for PDA, or even signs of affection. She only did it if Gale was sad or she just needed some one to hold onto. With Prim being a freshman in high school, and her surplus of friends, Katniss never really had time with her sister; But Gale was a fine way to fill her time.

Katniss runs her thumb over the back of his hand, and shifts her gaze, so her eyes are locked onto his. "Gale, Prim will be a sophomore when I leave, and my mom well… she'll manage; Prim will probably have a job and her license, so don't worry."

Gale looks down at their entwined hands, her brings them up to his lips and kisses hers delicately, making warmth spread through her body. Katniss continues in a softer tome, "Well for you Gale… I think we could work that out. There are endless possibilities to what we could do. But for right now lets focus on the present."

He nods silently and pulls her over to him; she sits on his lap and rests her head in the nook of his neck. After a minute or two Gale finally says, "Maybe the band could tour in England." She stays quiet for a moment.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Katniss pulls away, dumbfounded at his stubbornness; she sits back on the bed and stares at him.

Gale nods his head and continues, "I think it would be a great opportunity to get out, and show our music to the world."

Katniss scoffs and pinches the bridge of her nose, "Oh My God, you are so stubborn!"

"What is wrong with wanting to showing the world our music?" Gale asks forcefully, his cool exterior breaking down and the anger bubbling up inside of him.

"Gale… first off, you learnt guitar _two years ago_, you're only average at playing. I'm not a good enough singer for professional level. Leevy would take my place just fine. Also instead of just taking my idea and going to England, maybe you could have your own idea Gale." Katniss argues. She flails her arms around to make a point. She continues, "Look Gale, I love you so much; you are one of the only people that I love, I know I don't say that often, but I do. Gale… you're a twenty-one year old man, with no plan for college or a future; I know you had to grow up quickly with your dad dying and all, but that doesn't mean that you can act like a fifteen year old with big dreams."

Gale's expression turns hard with every word that leaves Katniss's lips; she can see the irritation in his steely grey eyes. He stands abruptly and walks the few short steps to her door and he turns back around to her. Even with his heavy brow furrowed in, and the scowl set into his features; Gale Hawthorne is the epitome of handsomeness; his soft but striking features his strong jaw and perfect nose, to his steely grey eyes. Katniss could not help but admire how handsome her boyfriend is.

Gale breaks her out of thought when he says in a low voice; "I will talk to you later. I'm going to Thom's, and then maybe to the bar. Don't expect me to call for a few hours."

With that Gale turns away and practically slams Katniss's door. She sighs and picks up the journal on her bed, Katniss places it back in the drawer and sits at her desk.

Katniss looks out the window and finds the sun has begun to set; the days are getting longer because summer is a few weeks away. Katniss is happy to break away from the cold, even with the small amount of snowfall, Katniss is sick of the white winter. She pulls out her phone and scrolls through her contacts until she comes upon Madge Undersee, she presses the call button and holds the device up to her ear.

The phone makes a connecting sound as she holds it; Madge picks up on the third ring. Her cheery voice sounds through the speaker, "Hey Katniss!"

"Hey Madge," Katniss replies, she leans back in the chair and stretches her free arm over her head. "I was hoping that we could head down to the Hob to get some food."

"Yeah sure!" Madge exclaims through the phone, Katniss can hear the smile in her friend's voice. "My dad is just keeping me here, I'll sneak out the window."

Katniss laughs and nods her head, and then realizing Madge can't see her, she replies, "Okay Madge, I'll see you there in fifteen."

Madge says her goodbyes, and they hang up. Katniss grabs her fathers jacket to put on over her khaki jeans and black t-shirt, she then goes down stairs into the kitchen. Their home wasn't too extravagant, but her mother worked long hours at the hospital just to afford to keep it functioning. Katniss's parents bought the home when she was six, her father fixed the whole thing up, and it was beautiful. But when he passed eight years ago it slowly degraded; Katniss got a job at the Hob as a waitress, the house has slowly started to improve.

When Katniss enters the kitchen she finds Prim sitting at the table, with sheets of homework spread across the surface; Prim smiles at Katniss, the fifteen year old already looking like a woman. "Hey Katniss."

"Hey little duck," Katniss replies, as she grabs a water bottle from the fridge. Katniss sits herself on the bench top and nods to Prim's homework. "Studying much?"

Her younger sister nods and shifts her attention back to the papers in front of her, "Yeah the year ends in a few weeks, and I have assignments to hand in, and essays to write."

Katniss nods and takes another swig of her water. "I saw Gale storm out. Did you tell him about your plans?" Katniss chokes on her water and looks to her baby sister. How did she know about the journal? Prim smiles and says, "You left it on the couch last week, so I thought I would have a read through it."

"Haven't you ever heard of privacy Prim?" Katniss huffs, her sister laughing at her irritation.

"Well Katniss, I knew that you thought having a journal was a bit self indulgent," Prim reassured, Katniss relaxed a bit, but could feel the anxiety rising up. She just wanted to know what Prim thought.

"So… what'd you think about it?" She asks, hoping for the best from her little sister.

Prim sets her pen down on the table and sends Katniss a big grin. "I think that you going to England is a great idea. You plan to leave in a couple of years, right? So just try work longer shifts and tie all your loose ends here."

Katniss smiles a real grin, for the first time in a long time, she walks to her sister and kisses her on the head. "Thank you, Little Duck. But I have already started twelve-hour shifts at the Hob, and Annie is organizing for my accommodation. Uncle Haymitch is going to work out the costs for me."

Prim watches with her big blue eyes, a admiring look in them. She wraps her arms around Katniss's waist and says, "I'm excited for you Katniss."

* * *

Katniss walks into the diner, the twilight is fading slowly, making the sky a brilliant soft orange colour. All the regulars were dining at the Hob; she received nods from everybody that she walked by. Madge sits in the corner; her pink floral dress is what separates her from everybody else.

Madge spots Katniss and waves her over, her white teeth practically glowing, and her bright blue eyes wide and joyful. Katniss makes her way over and takes a seat across Madge. The Hob is an old fashioned diner, a lot of locals come for their meals, Katniss has been working there for almost five years; she started the job when she was thirteen. The booths of the diner are lined with electric blue coverings, the floor is black and white tile, the walls have white tile from floor to ceiling, and the counter top is a dark grey colour. For the uniform Katniss just wears black jeans and a black top with her boots, Sae doesn't really mind what she wears.

Madge and Katniss order their dinner and sip their coffee while making polite conversation. Madge goes on about how she is moving to Boston, so she can go to Harvard University next year. She got a scholar ship, but Madge thinks it's her dad's connections within the university that really got her in. She's studying law.

Sae sets down their dinners and sends Katniss a wink, "Thank you Sae, it looks great."

"Thank you, girl," Sae smiles, her teeth slightly yellow from years of smoking. "Now y'all need to take a break from workin' you've been goin' for too many hours." Katniss chuckles and nods her head, the old woman smiles once more and goes to tend to another customer. The girls continue on with their small talk.

After a while Madge leans in a little closer and asks, "Did you tell him yet?"

"Yep," Katniss answers, she places her fork on the now clean plate and wipes her mouth with a napkin. Madge raises her eyebrows and Katniss continues, "He kept mentioning the band. You know I don't sing, I haven't sung for you guys yet, and I highly doubt that you will hear me sing. _Ever." _

Mage sits back in her seat and chuckles, she knows as well as Katniss, of how stubborn Gale Hawthorne can be. "Katniss, I don't even want to be in this band, I'm leaving pretty soon, and I don't think Thom wants to be in it any longer."

Katniss nods and shakes her head, the band was Gale's idea; he was lead guitarist, Madge was on piano, Thom was the drummer and Katniss was the singer. It was formed last summer, when Gale had bought a second hand guitar and Thom's dad bought him a drum set. Madge would teach Katniss to play piano in their spare time together, so Gale thought it would be a great opportunity to form a band.

And he came up with the worst name, well Katniss didn't like it, he named them '_The Rebels.' _It was a bit mainstream and Katniss was sure she had heard the name before, but Gale was adamant on it. He said it, "_represented their identity." _All he got in return from Katniss was an eye roll.

Katniss agrees with Madge and adds, "I think that Gale wants to have that moment of rebellion, that one time of saying 'fuck you' to society, and I think he wants to do that through music."

Madge laughs at her statement and says, "Well you're not wrong there Katniss. Anyway, moving onto your plan. How is everything going?"

"Well Haymitch asked me to go to his house tomorrow to figure out costs and all, I have picked up extra and longer shifts, and I think I know the degree I want to study." Katniss answers truthfully, Madge smiles widely at Katniss, the dimples in her cheeks deep and her eyes crinkled up at the edges.

Madge leans in closer, and says in a cheery tone: "Do tell."

Katniss laughs and replies, "Well I have always wanted to try out creative writing, I mean the university I'm looking at seems good enough. If I get no where with that, Haymitch said that he'll come over to me and we could figure the situation out together."

"That's good he's looking out for you, Katniss. I know you're his favorite," Madge winks.

Katniss looks at her dubiously and asks, "Have you met Prim? She's everybody's favorite."

Madge laughs and shakes her head, "No I think Haymitch likes you more, maybe because you're alike."

Katniss makes a gagging sound and shakes her head furiously, "No! I know he's my 'uncle' and all, but never say we're alike. I mean its Haymitch."

She shudders, with then sends Madge into a fit of laughter. When Katniss gains her composure, they fall into conversation about the pending future. A few minutes later, Darius comes over, his bright red hair is combed back and his bright green eyes greet her, he gives Katniss a charming smile and asks, "Can I get you any thing, Kitty Kat?"

Katniss scoffs and rolls her eyes, knowing Darius is only joking, "Yes Darius, I'll just get another coffee."

Madge orders the same, and just as Darius turns to leave, he stops and turns to Katniss. He leans down and rests his elbows on the tabletop. "Lavinia was telling me that Hawthorne was causing a ruckus over at The Seam, would that mean you two broke up?"

Darius was always questioning Katniss, asking her if she was single; he is only a year younger than her, but he looks as if he could be twenty-one. The Seam is the local bar/tavern, where all the guys and some girls go to get a drink after a hard day at work or just a hard day. Katniss leans closer to Darius, he quirks an eyebrow and she whispers, "Last time I checked Darius, Gale and I were still together."

He laughs and says, "Well Kitty Kat, if you ever do break up, I'll be the first to know… also did you know that a kiss from a red-head could change your life?"

Katniss chuckles and replies, "In your dreams Darius."

He stands up straight and sends the girls a large smile; he walks away to get their coffees. Madge laughs at him and then continues on with the details of Harvard.

Katniss looks down at her phone and she finds a text from Gale; She sets the phone in her pocket, she just wants to piss him off by not replying.

And it's going to work.

* * *

"Okay sweetheart, I'll pay for your tickets and your university fees," Katniss's Uncle Haymitch says cross the table. He wanted to talk about her trip; he thought that they could plan it now so when she leaves she'll be prepared.

Katniss stares in disbelief at her 'uncle', "Haymitch… I know you promised my dad you'd look after me, but that doesn't mean you can spend all your money one me."

Haymitch chuckles and takes a sip of his whiskey; even at 10 am Haymitch likes to get his drink on. "Katniss, I would love to see you get out of this town, as much as you want to leave it. Plus I have plenty of money to spare, got spend it on something."

Katniss sends him a small smile. Haymitch Abernathy was Katniss's father's best friend, apart from James Hawthorne. They went to college together, and attended each other's weddings; David Everdeen died of cancer eight years ago, when Katniss was only eleven. Haymitch promised David that he would do his best to look after his girls. And he has stuck by that promise.

"Ugh…I want to do this by myself." Katniss huffs, the old man smiles and takes another sip of his drink.

"And you will, sweetheart. I just want to see that you can actually get there, so you don't fall short," Haymitch replies, Katniss feels a small smile on her lips and she looks down, making the loose bits of her braid fall in her face. "Any who, Primrose told me that you told young Hawthorne."

Katniss groans and rubs her hands over her face. Haymitch grunts and asks, "When did you talk last?"

Katniss inhales sharply and replies, "Saturday, when he stormed out. He texted me, and I didn't reply, and he hasn't texted me since.

"Sounds like his father," Haymitch grumbles, he gulps down the rest of his whiskey and places the glass on the table, he turns to Katniss and says, "He'll come around, but for now we need to focus on your trip, sweetheart."

Katniss nods and pulls out her travel journal, eager to plan for her future.

* * *

"Katniss he's at the door for you." Prim stands at Katniss's bedroom door, her hair in two braids and her school uniform wrinkled. Katniss smiles at her little sister and stands from her desk. They both make their way down stairs and Katniss head towards the front door. When she opens it, Gale stands there with his gait slouched and his hands tucked into his coat. He shifts his gaze to Katniss, and gives her a small smile. It has been five days since their argument; Katniss just focused her time on work hours, and study to apply for the college in London.

"Hey Catnip," Gale greets, his grey eyes glinting. She steps out side and closes the door behind her, not wanting Prim to listen in on their conversation. "I just thought we could talk."

"Gale, we have talked and it didn't go well," Katniss retorts, she sits down on the bench outside the front door.

Gale looks to the ground and shrugs, he huffs out his cheeks and says, "you know what I'm like, Catnip. I can't accept change."

Katniss nods her head in agreement and comments, "The least you could do is actually listen to my plans, I mean the moment I said '_moving away' _you would not listen to me. You need to think what I want, not what _you_ want. Also I talked to Madge the other day and she wants to quit the band."

Gale looks up and grumbles, "Thom told me he was pulling out. But Katniss, I know you want this, but what about your life here I mean, you'll just leave it behind you."

"No I won't Gale, there are hundreds of ways to communicate with each other these days, I promise not to loose contact." Katniss reassures her boyfriend, she stands up and walks over to him. She leans into his chest and lays her head on his shoulder. His arms engulf her and he rests his head on hers.

"Well, Katniss. I promise that we will work this out, no matter what, we can think of something." Gale says into her hair. But deep down Katniss feels that those words are empty.

She'll just have to wait and see.

* * *

**So there is chapter 5.**

***Squints***** I see there are Everthorne shippers in the crowd tonight. Well I have bad news for you all, it fanfic is Everlark. Only the flash back chapters will be Everthorne and they'll be every three or four chapters. So yeah.**

**Thank you to all those people who gave me some pointers on what I did wrong, I think some of you actually read my authors note. Yeah I'm going over seas in two weeks, so that's exciting. Also it is my birthday today, June 7****th****, shout out to my twin sister for being born a whole three minutes before me, and holding that against me for so many years. **

**Anyway, thank you all and please **_**followxfavourtiexReview**_

_**I love you all, peace ~N ***_**drops mic*******_**  
**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to those who reviewed, and just a reminder: I could read a hundred good comments, and two bad ones, but the bad ones stick in my mind and I have no more drive to write. I appreciate constructive criticism, but not hate. Sorry for errors it's late and I'm tired.**

**Any way on with the story! ~N**

* * *

**Present day.**

**Gale.**

It has been one week since Gale has arrived at Katniss's house, and he is getting frustrated. The Katniss here isn't like the one he knew at home, she is much happier, she doesn't get as snappy, and she always is singing. Which is odd in Gale's eyes. Much to Gale's disliking, Peeta Mellark is one of the best human beings he has ever met, the way he cares for his wife and child, how he always is checking up on them and how he always wants to have a conversation with you, which is never awkward as he expects it to be. Gale would love to hate Katniss and her new life; after all she technically cheated on him. But looking at what she has now, he feels as if perhaps he wasn't the one for her, and never was.

He sits on the couch watching a movie called '_Nowhere Boy,'_ Willow is on the floor at his feet playing with her dolls. Katniss and Peeta had to call down to the bakery because one of their staff had an incident. So they trusted Gale with Willow, who hates him.

Gale can feel her eyes upon him and he shifts his gaze from the TV to her blazing blue eyes. They way she partially squints them, how she puckers her lips and furrows her brow, she couldn't look more like Katniss. "Yes Willow?" Gale says slowly, not wanting to sound harsh with the child.

"Since you came 'ere my mummy and daddy are fighting. And they never fight." Willow states, her stare unrelenting and surprisingly scary. Gale looks at her in shock and quirks an eyebrow; he was under the impression that Katniss and Peeta barely fought, but it seems his presence has made them do so.

"I'm sorry Willow, your mother and I just need to sort some things out," Gale says quietly, but loud enough for Willow to hear over the television. The raven-haired girl narrows her eyes once more and goes back to playing with her dolls. Gale focuses back on the TV, the movie is about the band _The Beatles;_ Peeta recommended it for him.

Then a fairly recent memory creeps up on Gale, the band, and touring, wanting to be famous. Gale sits back and thinks to himself, his dream was to tour the world, but looking back on that now he couldn't have done it. He was and is too stubborn to listen to other opinions, and to accept what he got. He only really wanted it for reasons, one being Katniss, the other being rich, and there is one tugging at the back of his mind; but he chooses to stop the thought from coming forward.

Gale switches off the TV and stands up; he looks down at Willow and says, "Would you mind if I went to my room for a minute?"

Willow shrugs and answers, "I don't care where you go."

Gale walks down the hall and turns into the study/his current room, he has hung up his clothes in the wardrobe, and cleaned the room up a bit, sure not to make it messy. He sits on the edge of his bed and runs his hands through his hair; it's difficult to not get angry, so he breathes heavily. All the jealousy and resentment he has kept for the last week has finally bubbled up to breaking point.

Gale grabs his pillow, buries his face in it, and he lets out a scream, he screams until his throat sore. He then starts punching the pillow; with every strike he feels the tension in his bones leave his body. When Gale picks his head up to get some air into his lungs, he can feel warm tears run down his cheeks. He really needs a good cry; it feels as if all the emotion is finally leaking out of him. Gale hasn't cried since he visited Katniss last, when he was saying goodbye.

Gale starts to swear, he buries his head into the pillow once more and yells, his throat burning with the rage that leaves his mouth. Gale stands up and starts to pace the room, running his hands through his hair and his tears getting caught in his beard. He thinks of the deceit that Katniss did to him, all the lies. But they _weren't _lies; she sent him letters and apparently left him voice mails. He won't know until he sees.

Gale picks up one of Katniss's photo frames, it holds a picture of her and Peeta in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He angrily stares at the couple, how Peeta's arm is securely wrapped around Katniss, and the once rare smile resting on Katniss's lips. Gale raises the picture frame above his head and throws it to the ground; the glass smashes against the hard wooden floor with a crash, sending shards of glass shattering across the floor.

Gale lets out another cry and buries his head in his hands, letting his anger and rage turn into sorrow, the pain of loss pangs in his chest and he feels hollowness spread through out his body. He knows he did wrong to Katniss while she was away, he can't blame her for being unfaithful.

He picks his head up when the door to the study hits the wall with a bang, Peeta stands at the threshold a hard expression set into his normally soft features. His blue eyes go to the broken glass at Gale's feet and he scowls. "What the hell happened?"

Gale deflates a bit and exhales a huff of air. He runs a shaky hand through his hair and shrugs, "I had a bit of a melt down."

"A bit of a melt down?" Peeta spits, his voice blazing like fire, and his blue eyes icy cold. "A bit of a melt down is having a cry. Having a rage is breaking things, and causing my daughter to cry."

Gale looks to the ground sheepishly and looks at the tiny shards of glass that surround his bare feet. Peeta grumbles something about cleaning it up and walks away with an exasperated sigh. Gale steps over the glass and walks down the hall, into the living room. Katniss sits with Willow on her lap, the toddler is facing her and Katniss has her hands on her daughter's cheeks.

Katniss sooths her by running her hands through her hair and kissing her forehead. Gale can hear the small sniffles coming from Willow; her shoulders rise and fall from small hiccups. Peeta passes him with a dustpan and brush in his hands; Peeta gives Gale a hard glare and then goes into the study.

The house is eerily quiet accept for Katniss's melodic voice. Gale takes a seat in the armchair that sits adjacent to the couch that the girls occupy. He closes his eyes and listens to her as she begins to sing, '_Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a soft green pillow; Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes. And when they open again, the sun will rise.' _

Gale almost drifts off to sleep from the tune, but he opens his eyes when Katniss stops. He finds her picking up her daughter's sleeping form and walking away silently, not making one sound as she travels across the hard wood floor.

He hangs his head and watches the ground intently; he hears some scuffling and heavy footsteps. Gale hears a throat being cleared and drags his gaze up to find Peeta sitting in the spot where Katniss was. Peeta doesn't smile like he usually does; there is a hint of worry etched into his hard expression.

"So Gale," Peeta begins, his voice gruff. "It seems you need to blow off some steam, and I want to help you with that. So instead of breaking my belongings, I think we could head down to the bakery and knead some dough, or do some weight lifting."

Gale quirks an eyebrow and watches the blonde man, his curls messy and frazzled. He sits back tentatively and replies warily, "Okay. I wouldn't mind that."

Peeta lets a small smirk show in his tough demeanor and nods his head slowly. "Good, get changed into some old shorts and an old shirt. Be here in five minutes."

Gale nods and gets up from his seat, he then goes into the study and closes the door behind him. He hastily changes into some grey shorts and an old loose white tank top, trying to be quick so he doesn't irritate Peeta anymore. Gale gets up to leave and hears some hushed conversation coming from the lounge room. He stops at the door and listens to Katniss and Peeta talk.

"Kat, I think he just needs to cool down, this whole ordeal would be tough." Peeta calmly says, "If I were in love with you for so many years, then all of a sudden you weren't mine, I would probably be dead inside. So just let him come with me and we can talk."

There is a couple of moments of silence, then Katniss replies, "Okay, but don't fight, I don't want two of the people I love most fighting."

Gale steps back from the door and thinks for a moment, not once did he think that there was a possibility of her still loving him and he knows that it isn't romantic love, that is all for Peeta.

Gale hears some heavy footsteps and quickly sits on his bed, a moment later Peeta stands at his door and waves him over, "C'mon Hawthorne, I don't think Katniss wants you to release your anger in our house."

Gale nods and picks himself up off the bed, after grabbing his wallet and phone; he follows Peeta out side to the front door. He then follows him to the side of the house out back to a driveway. Peeta opens a garage door, he presses a button and the Jeep's lights flash, Gale gets into the passenger side. It feels strange for Gale to be on the other side of the car, with out the steering wheel in front of him.

Peeta sends him a knowing smile, he asks as he turns the car on, "Is it weird seeing people driving on the other side the road?"

Gale shrugs and looks down at his hands, "Yeah, last time I was here I took no notice."

Peeta laughs and then continues, "So Katniss never actually told me how you two met."

Gale looks over to Peeta, his eyes are locked on the road, but a curious grin is stretched across his face. Gale shifts in his seat and begins, "It was a year after Katniss's dad had died of lung cancer, he got it from working in the mines all his life. So I was out in the woods one day - my dad died a few months prior, he was killed in a car accident – and I heard some humming so I looked around and I found a girl perched high up in a tree. Her legs were dangling from the branch and she wore a large leather jacket.

"She looked down at me and shut her mouth, like me hearing her singing was forbidden. I called out to her and there was no reply, so I asked her what her name was, and she replied so quietly I thought she said, _'Catnip.' _So I sat on a rock that was near the tree and we just sat in silence." Gale explains, the memory of the young raven-haired girl in the tree flooding his mind, god he misses those days. "So everyday for that summer I went down and she was there, after a while we began talking and we became best friends. We started dating when she was a sophomore."

Peeta nods along to the story, his smile never faltering. Gale is surprised that Peeta isn't jealous at all; it must be in his nature. Gale hesitantly asks Peeta, "How 'bout your dating history? Any girls before Katniss?"

Peeta nods and chuckles, "Yeah I had a few here and there. My last serious relationship was with a girl named Delly; we were childhood best friends. We dated for about three years and then she expected a marriage proposal, I broke up with her, and then about six months later I met Katniss."

"Really?" Gale questions. Suddenly curious in the life of Peeta Mellark, which is surprising for Gale.

"Yeah," Peeta laughs, "She hated Katniss at first, she refused for the first few months to talk to her, but then over time Delly came to like Katniss. I think there is that lingering hatred though, apparently Delly loved me since we were like five; but when I met Katniss… I mean whoa. I have never met someone with more fire and love in them."

Gale nods in agreement and says, "That sounds like the Katniss I grew up with. Completely committed to her family… she was also fierce in what she believed in."

"She hasn't changed as much as you think, Gale," Peeta suddenly says as he turns onto a busy road, Gale looks to him and quirks an eyebrow.

"What'd you mean?"

"I mean… she is still that girl that you grew up with, she just has opened her heart a little. That's why I fell in love with her, she is so fiery and loyal, and she loves people with her whole heart. She sees everything as it is, and when you get that side of her that is cute and loving, you feel like the luckiest person in the world. Katniss is the same, she's just opened her self up."

Gale watches the road pensively; he furrows his brow as he listens to Peeta. Katniss _is _the girl he knew; he could only see her as a cheating bitch. But perhaps he isn't seeing things as clearly as he thought. "That sounds like her."

They sit in silence for the rest of the drive, Peeta turns into a drive way that leads to the back of a shop, he parks the car and they both get out. Peeta leads Gale through a back door, and they walk into a kitchen. A few people walk around, carrying ingredients; Gale watches them all as they greet them.

He lets out a low whistle and Peeta heads out the front, Gale trails behind him. Peeta greets a dark haired girl, she would be twenty one at the most, she has dark brown eyes and olive skin, she wears a simple black t shirt, black jeans and maroon Doc Martins. "Clove," Peeta says, "This is Gale Hawthorne."

She turns to Gale and says in a British accent, "So you're the guy who tried to break up my bosses' marriage?"

Peeta snorts and claps Clove on the shoulder, "Easy Clove, he just needs to work off some steam, I want you to teach him how to knead dough."

Clove nods gestures for Gale to follow her, they go back into the kitchen, they wash their hands and she clears a table. Clove spreads flower against the cool steel bench top, and she grabs a lump from a fridge. As she unwraps it she begins, "it's easy to knead, all you do is try to get air bubbles out from the dough, and push the heel of your hand through it."

She demonstrates though a small lump, Gale watches her small hands work the dough; it seems easy enough. Clove hands Gale a lump and he begins kneading it, copying the way she did it. He does it for about five minutes and then he feels the muscles in his biceps start to ache.

Clove sits on a bench adjacent to him, her legs swinging and her stare malicious, "So what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a pilot in the U.S army," Gale answers, usually girls' faun all over him when he says this, but Clove doesn't even flinch. "I'm being based in a fort near here to join the European army. What do you do?"

Clove waves around her and replies, "I work here, I have been since they opened. I am doing a course in information security at London University, fun I know."

"That's cool, I joined the army because I kind of dropped out of college when I was twenty, so I had no other options, but here I am." Gale scratches the back of his head and puffs out his cheeks, some how in front of Clove he feels vulnerable.

Clove rolls her eyes and says, "Trust me if my parents would let me I would drop out, or I would transfer to do a masters in education, I want to teach kids."

Gale notices Clove's furrowed brow soften and how her eyes light up somewhat, she shakes her head and lowers herself from the bench. She walks over to Gale and looks at the hunk of dough in front of him. "Well this ain't gonna knead itself!"

Gale laughs and begins to work the dough once more, and the girl next to him sends him a coy smirk.

* * *

"Haymitch should be here in the next half an hour," Katniss says as she cleans the kitchen frantically. Peeta and Gale stayed at the bakery until about three in the afternoon and then came home, now Gale in covered in flour and applesauce, which Clove 'accidently' got on his top.

Peeta gives Katniss a chaste kiss and goes to clean himself up, Katniss turns to Gale and asks, "How was it?"

Gale smiles and nods, "Yeah it was good, that was the first time I had a real conversation with him. I don't mind him."

Katniss smiles and says, "Willow forgives you for scaring her, but she is keeping an eye on you."

Gale laughs and shakes his head. He walks into the bathroom and quickly showers, he then changes into some jeans and a black hoodie. Gale goes into the now spotless kitchen and makes himself some coffee, Katniss must be getting dressed because she's gone and Willow must be in her room because she is nowhere to be seen.

As Gale sets his coffee down on the bench top, and there is a loud knock at the door. He waits a couple seconds, when he realizes neither Katniss nor Peeta are coming he goes to the front door. When he opens the door he finds a blonde pair looking at him.

A tall man with stocky build stands closest to the door, he would be fifty at the most, he has a striking resemblance to Peeta, with the same build, strong jaw and soft eyes; he wares navy dress pants and a white polo shirt.

The woman stands a few meters away; she wares bright red lipstick and purple eye shadow. She also wares a tight black dress and purple heels; she could be forty-five or fifty at the least.

"Hello," The man says in a soft French accent, "I'm Farl Mellark, I must have the wrong adr-"

"It isn't the wrong address, Farl," The woman snaps, she turns to Gale and asks, "Who are you, and what are you doing in my sons house?"

Gale opens and closes his mouth for a couple of seconds, and he replies, "I'm Gale Hawthorne, I'm a friend of Katniss's."

The man, Farl, turns to the woman and says, "Calm down Meredith, you'll scare the boy." He turns back to Gale and warmly smiles, "Well Hello Gale, you looked familiar."

Gale goes to say something, but he is cut off by a small squeal. Willow pushes past him and jumps into the mans arms, "Grandpa! Grandma!"

Farl laughs and hugs the girl close. Gale smiles as she hugs Meredith, the woman seems to have softened up, she looks at Willow tenderly and talks to her quietly.

Peeta appears behind Gale, he greets his parents with hugs and invites them all inside. Katniss sits on the couch and stands when they enter the room, she hugs Peeta's father and kisses his mother on the cheek. They all sit down and chat as Peeta goes to make some tea. Gale picks up on Meredith's American accent, that's probably why Peeta sounds American at times.

Peeta's mother questions to Katniss, "Do you know the gender of the baby?"

Katniss politely answers, "No, we find out next month, but I'm hoping for another girl."

"Oh me too, there are enough boys in my family!" Meredith exclaims. They continue on chatting, Farl listens nodding along with the conversation and chiming in when necessary.

Gale gets up and goes to the kitchen with Peeta to help him, He asks, "Why are they here?"

Peeta responds, "They come over every few months, my father lives in France and my mother lives in San Fran Cisco."

"So they're not married?"

"No, they divorced when I was eighteen," Peeta replies, he puts tea bags in all the cups he has pulled out, "I moved from America to Paris with my father, my brother stayed with my mother."

Gale nods and then asks, "Why is your mother so…"

"Hostile?" Peeta finishes, Gale nods and Peeta chuckles, "My mother wanted a daughter so bad when she fell pregnant with me, but here I am; she kind of turned sour after that, well that's what my brother Rye says anyway. But when we had Willow I became the Favourtie child, my eldest brother Bannock, has a son and my other brother Rye is unmarried."

Gale nods and sips on his coffee. They hear some more commotion come from the living room and Gale goes out to find Haymitch standing there, he is much cleaner than when Gale last saw him. He is clean-shaven and his skin isn't a sickly yellow colour, he is actually wearing a suit as well. Willow is clutching to Haymitch and is chatting to him mad. Gale joins the group in the living room and listens in on their conversation about the current government in Britain, Gale doesn't know anyone they're talking about so he zones out.

He is pulled back into reality when Haymitch takes a seat next to him, he looks over the Gale and says, "You've got mail."

* * *

**There is this chapter, hoped you enjoyed it. Thank you to that guest who stood up to that reviewer. You guys need to realize that this is a Fanfiction, and in real life things get messy and confused, people also get hurt, but you can't judge a something with out all the answers, so just be patient.**

**Thank you to all who left reviews, it means a lot. I may or may not be updating next week, I am over seas then, I will be visiting family in Ireland. I will have a chapter up soon by the end of the month… maybe. Please leave a review with your thoughts.**

**I love you all~ N**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here is the chapter you have all been waiting for! There will be a larger authors note down below. ~N**

* * *

**Gale.**

"You've got mail," Haymitch's gruff voice says, he seems angry with him.

Gale squints at him and remarks, "It's about time, Haymitch. I have no idea why you have been holding them."

"We need to talk in private," The man replies, he gets up and walks down the hall towards the study. Gale gets up and follows the man; they walk out to the backyard. Haymitch turns to Gale and says, "I saw you and the Undersee girl."

Gale stops in his tracks and feels the panic rise up in him, _does he know? _He gets immediately defensive and retorts, "What are you talking about?"

Haymitch chuckles, and shakes his head, "You know what I mean Gale. The first time I saw you two, I had a letter from Katniss, when I was going to your apartment I saw Madge at your door with a duffel bag and I saw you kiss her. I know you cheated on Katniss the few months before you left for the army."

"Wha… How?" Gale stutters, he runs her hands through his hair and sits on a plastic chair; he hangs his head and asks, "Why keep the letters then?"

"Well Katniss kept sending letters and I figured that you – a lying bastard – shouldn't have the privilege of this girls love and look at her now. I do say that it has come back to bite me in the ass but some thing tells me that it'll hurt you more than it will hurt me." Haymitch passively says, Gale feels the anxiousness start to claw in his stomach. He hears the old man laugh, "Are you going to tell Katniss, or am I?"

"Tell me what?"

Gale takes his hands away from his face and finds Katniss standing at the door; her hands wrapped protectively over her swollen belly. Gale stands up and looks to Haymitch, who sends him a hard stare. He exhales sharply and says, "I-I. Uh-I. Katniss… the few months before I visited you… I was sleeping around with Madge… Undersee." He sees her expression go hard and her brows furrow in, he rushes, "Haymitch saw us one day and that is the reason why he with held the letters, and that's why I didn't know about Peeta, because I was in the army when you sent me voice mails and letters."

Katniss walks down the few steps and stands in front of his hunched figure, with her eyes blazing she spits, "I know Gale I technically cheated on you with Peeta, but at least I tried to contact you to tell you! I invited you to our wedding for god sake! And this whole time you have been sulking around and been angry with me, you left out the part where you cheated on me? I wouldn't be surprised if you have already fucked a girl here!"

Gale looks to the ground as she hurls insults at him, he feels so small, and he looks up at her again, now seeing the tears falling down her cheeks. She spits, "Gale you are heartless, I am sick of trying to please you. You want to see old Katniss? Well here she is, I am so fucking tired of you being here, do you know how hard life has been with you around? You may not see, but Peeta and I have been arguing for the last few days and it's been upsetting Willow, but you are oblivious to it because you are so self-indulged. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, you sick cheating bastard."

Gale feels as Katniss's palm connects with his cheek, it stings him and it will surely leave a mark. Gale looks up to the door where Peeta and his parent's stand there wide-eyed and have their mouths gaping open. Katniss storms past them. Gale starts to move toward her, "Katniss wait, I ca-"

Haymitch places a hand on his shoulder and shakes his head, "Let her be Gale, you may think you can explain but I highly doubt you can come up with a good explanation."

Gale stops, he can slowly feel the pain and panic rise up through his body. He thought that he and Madge were secret, but it looks that they were clumsy. Gale shakes his head and walks inside, past Peeta's parents, down the hallway and into his room. He lays on his bed and stares at the dark ceiling. He hears some voices out side in the hallway; they talk quickly and quietly, obviously not wanting him or Katniss to hear what they say.

A while later Haymitch opens his door, Gale looks at the old man, he can feel the heavy frown form on his lips. "What do you want Haymitch?"

"I have a few of the letters Katniss sent, these were before she met Peeta," He replies, he sits at the desk chair across from Gale, he sets the small pile of envelopes on the desk and turns back towards Gale. "The rest of the letters are at your house. I also wanted to tell you that your mother knows about Madge, I told her when you left."

Gale sits up instantly he yells at Haymitch, "Why would you do that?!"

"Because I didn't want your mother to have a one sided story, I am guessing that you already talked to her," Haymitch says, Gale nods and he breathes out heavily, "Well my job here is done."

"What do you mean '_my job here is done'?" _Gale spits, he stands up and sneers, "Do you think this is all a game? Toying with us? With holding the letters? If I got those letters I would've told Katniss and we could have been together! Did you think it was your job to ruin my life?"

"No, boy. The reason why I withheld the letters is because I knew you wouldn't have told Katniss, you are too proud, you wouldn't have risked loosing her. I know that I should meddle in other peoples lives, but that day I saw you with Madge I knew that I had to protect Katniss." Haymitch retorts.

"Protect her?" Gale snorts, "Katniss hardly needs protecting."

"Well she does from you." Haymitch snaps. He stands from his seat and walks out the door, leaving a silent and stunned Gale standing there. That's when he has a brain snap, Gale pulls out his bags and plops them onto the bed, he grabs everything he owns in the room and chucks it in messily, not caring where they go, that includes the letters.

He shuts the bags, puts on his jacket and slings his duffel bag over his shoulder. Gale walks out into the hall way and out the front door, leaving the house behind him. He calls for a taxi and gets into the first one that stops, he says to the driver, "Take me to the closest bar."

Not five minutes later they pull up and Gale pays the man, he gets out and walks up the steps to the quiet bar. When he enters a familiar face greets him, Clove sits with a blonde girl, who looks too tipsy to be sitting on a bar stool.

Clove sends him a curt smile and waves him over, he goes over to them and dumps his bags next to his chair, and he sits down and orders a beer. Clove asks, "So, What you doing here?"

Gale looks over to Clove's questioning gaze; he shrugs and hangs his head, "Escaping."

"Hah, you should have done that long ago. Jo is the one who told me that you tried to ruin me bosses marriage, she said that you were causing a whole head of trouble," Clove says, her tone almost light and humorous.

Gale grunts and takes the beer off of the bartender, he shifts his gaze to the girl next to Clove and nods towards her, "Who's this?"

"Glimmer," Clove answers, Glimmer whips her head around and smiles at Gale almost wickedly. "We're waiting for her boyfriend."

"Yeah, he's late. Again. He's always late, is that a good or bad thing? Should I dump him? I'm pretty sure he's fucking the secretary at work, but who cares I'm fucking my personal trainer." Glimmer slurs she points to Gale and whispers, "And let me tell you that he is one fine man."

Clove pushes Glimmer's hand out of the way and huffs out her cheeks, "Well you two have the best relationship any gal would ask for!"

Glimmer snorts, and attempts to get the straw of her drink into her mouth with her tongue. Clove rolls her eyes and glances down to Gale's bags, "So you actually leaving?"

"Yeah…" Gale scratches the back of his head and shrugs, "Shit hit the fan and I decided that it was time for me to go."

Clove nods and takes a swig of her beer, she looks very pretty in the dim light of the bar, and it maybe the emotions running high, but he really wants to kiss her. Clove smiles a little and says, "Perhaps she never was for you Gale, they were always meant for each other. Sometimes fate wins out in the end."

"You believe in fate?" Gale asks her, Clove seems too much of a realist for her to believe in such a thing, but hey what ever floats her boat.

"Gotta believe in something don't I?" She replies, her brown eyes light and soft. Glimmer blabs something unintelligible and Gale turns to find a large blonde man walking towards them.

"Cato! Where have you been?" Glimmer pouts, she sways in her seat and watches the boy with hooded eyes.

"Out." He answers abruptly; he sits next to Glimmer and says, "I get here when I want."

Glimmer wraps an arm around him and sloppily kisses Cato on the jaw; he looks to Gale and asks, "Who's this Clove?"

"He was just leaving," Clove answers; she pushes Gale up so he is standing and grabs one of his bags for him. Gale looks at her quizzically as they walk towards to exit of the bar.

"I need to pay," He says helplessly as Clove walks out the door.

"I'll get that." She answers, when they're out side Gale gives her a questioning look and Clove says, "Cato isn't a very good guy, last time a guy was with us he beat him up. It was best that you left."

Gale nods his head and thanks her, Clove just smiles and says, "How about we go and get some dinner?"

Gale quirks an eyebrow and he can feel a small smile on his lips, he could really use a distraction from what happened not a half-hour before hand. Clove smiles and she beacons him down the street into a small late night diner, they go inside and sit down at one of the tables. She orders a vegie burger, and Gale gets a steak burger.

"So what happened tonight?" Clove asks through a mouthful of lettuce and bread, she tucks a stray strand of black hair behind her ear. "Why did you need to 'escape'?"

Gale runs a hand through his hair and explains to Clove what went down at Katniss's house, he tells her about how Katniss left, Haymitch and the letters, Madge, him going into the army, him going to see her, meeting Peeta, how he thought he could patch everything up with Katniss. And he tells her the crippling moment when she looked into his eyes and he saw for the first time ever, a burning anguish in her silvery pools.

Clove listens to him pensively as she eats her vegie burger, when Gale finishes Clove sits back with a shocked expression, she doesn't say anything though, which makes Gale uncomfortable. She eventually mutters, "That's fucked up man, I only heard part of the story from Jo, I guess I needed to hear two sides of the story."

"Yeah, thanks for listening," Gale says as he eats the last bit of burger off of his plate.

"But what you did was a dick move," Clove states. Gale wipes the food from round his mouth, he avoids his gaze from hers; he feels inferior around Clove. "I just… don't get how you thought you could get her back, from cheating on her, to even after meeting Peeta. Why did you stay that long?"

Gale shrugs and answers truthfully, "I guess I was clinging onto that strand of hope that she may come back to me, I had it in my head that we would be together when I got there, and even after I met Peeta I guess I just thought that if I reminded her of what we had she would consider coming back to me."

"But you have seen how she lives right? How she is has a daughter and how she is pregnant? Also, have you met Peeta? I mean he is one of the hottest men alive, but the way he looks at Katniss, you can tell that she means the world to him." Clove justifies.

Gale thinks for a moment and shrugs, "I guess I was too blinded by my pride to really see what was right in front of me."

They stay a while longer, dropping the conversation and going onto other things, small things about them selves, being wary that they are still technically strangers that met that morning. When they leave Clove goes with Gale into a service station and waits as he books flights to Tennessee.

Clove drives him to a hotel that is right in the city center and Gale books a room. When he gets the key, Clove hands over the luggage she was carrying for him. She gives Gale a small smile and says, "I wish you well on your future."

"Thanks… for tonight I really needed to talk to someone." Gale grins back at her.

Clove steps in and gives Gale a hug, which takes him off guard for a moment. It takes him a second to react but he wraps his arms around her small form, Clove says into his chest, "If you need to talk to someone just call me."

She pulls away and grabs a rumpled piece of paper from her coat, on the desk of the hotel reception she grabs a pen, and scribbles down a number. She folds it and hands it to Gale. He takes it and gives her one last smile, "Thank you."

"No problem." And with that she was gone. Gale picks up his bags and goes to the elevator up to his room, he enters after fiddling with the keys and finds himself in a large room with a king sized bed and a large kitchen. He sets down his bags and flops onto the bed, not bothered to kick his shoes off. Gale slowly drifts off into sleep letting the past days events evade his mind.

* * *

The next morning Gale wakes up and checks his watch, it's 11:30 am and he is leaving at 2:00pm. He gets up and quickly showers in the bathroom of the hotel. He slips into some new jeans and a clean shirt. Gale grabs his wallet and fits Cloves number into it, its practically empty, with only a 20 pound note and a couple of American dollars, he needn't a credit card while he was in the army, it was about time he got one.

Once Gale is cleaned up he heads down stairs and returns the keys to the room, he heads out and gets some coffee from a bakery which Katniss and Peeta don't own, it's a bit bitter if Gale were being honest.

At 12 Gale catches a taxi and goes to the airport, once he's there he checks in his suitcase and duffel bag leaving his back pack for his carry on, the flight is about 11 hours so he keeps all his electronics and a couple of the letters.

Two hours later, Gale boards the plane and they take off about ten minutes after. When they are well up into the sky he looks through his bag and pulls out a letter. The envelope is a tinted brown colour, the edges are a tad frayed, and stamps cover the front of it.

He turns it over and rips it open; he pulls out the piece of paper and looks at the small scribbled handwriting that could be none other than Katniss's.

He begins to read:

'_To Gale,_

_I miss you very much! I can't wait for your visit! Jo is planning to take me to Paris for a couple of weeks before you arrive, so I am excited for that. I haven't heard from you in a while, Haymitch says that you are getting all my letters. Are you angry with me? I know that you think this whole thing would be hard but we are managing. Anyway, how is your mother doing? And Rory, Vick and Posy? Have you been accepted into the army yet? I would love to know! _

_Gale I just want you to know that I love you and there isn't a day goes by where I don't think of you, please return my letter and tell me how your life is going. I can't wait to see you in a few weeks and I'll show you London!_

_I love you!_

_\- Catnip.' _

Gale traces his fingers lightly over the paper and whispers, "I love you too, Catnip."

* * *

**How'd you guys like it? I would really like you know what you thought, and before you say that I only made Gale with Madge to stop the hate, it was planned from the very beginning. **

**Anyway I am updating from Ireland! Its really nice here, apparently its summer but it is freezing, but I do come from Australia. Part of this chapter was also written on my 13-hour flight from Guangzhou to Amsterdam, yeah I had a lot of time, but I slept most of the way.**

**Thank you for reading and I would love your feed back on what you thought of this chapter! **

**Review, Favourite, Follow, I love you ~N**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for reading! Bigger authors note at the end. Hope you enjoy~N**

* * *

**Three Years Ago**

**Haymitch. **

Haymitch Abernathy took it upon him self to look after and protect Katniss Everdeen and her family when she was eleven. Now ten years later he has lived up to that word, and he plans to keep it. Haymitch promised David Everdeen that he would look after the man's family, and he has done everything in his power to give what was best to the Everdeens'.

Haymitch walks toward Gale Hawthorne's house with a letter that Katniss had sent. As he nears the small home he hears some laughing, he stops in his tracks and watches as Madge Undersee opens the front door with Gale trailing behind her. Gale leans over and kisses Madge straight on the mouth, and waves to Madge as she walks down the steps and gets into her car.

Haymitch can feel the anger prickle on his skin, and the red-hot rage that is coursing through his veins. He starts towards the house, but then a thought crosses his mind. _Katniss doesn't need to know. _Haymitch stuffs the letter in his pocket and loiters around for ten minutes; he then decides its time to face Gale.

He walks up the steps of the home and knocks on the door, he hears scuffling coming from inside, and then the door opens and Gale give Haymitch a big uneasy smile. "Hello Haymitch, got any letters for me?"

Haymitch pauses for a second and shakes his head, "No. I just wanted to know when you ship off to the army."

"Oh, um… I leave on Thursday," Gale answers, he scratches the back of his neck and asks, "Would you like to come in?"

"No, I'm fine, I just wanted to know so I could tell Katniss." Haymitch answers; his voice sharp and curt. Gale eyes him warily and nods, Haymitch says his good byes and leaves the boy standing at the door. Haymitch walks down the street and gets into his truck; he starts the engine and goes to the one person that needs to know.

* * *

"Oh hello Haymitch!" Hazelle Hawthorne greets with her bright smile. She opens the door and beacons the old man in, "How are you?"

"I'm well, I'm just here to talk to you about a concerning issue." He answers.

"Would you like tea or coffee?"

"No I'm fine, I just need to talk to you about Gale," Haymitch says, Hazelle stops and glances up at Haymitch with a confused expression. He sits down on one of the lounge chairs of the living room and clears his throat, "This morning I was delivering Gale a letter from Katniss - like I always do on Mondays - and I saw Madge Undersee leave Gale's home."

"Well they are friends," Hazelle states, she seems to avoid the pending out come, she wrings her hands together and bites down on her lip.

"I saw them kiss. So I have come to the conclusion that I will nod be giving Gale any letters from Katniss anymore, so she can be spared the pain of his cheating." Haymitch finishes, he watches Hazelle's expression confused expression change to angry, she grabs out her phone. "I think its best that Gale doesn't know either."

Hazelle pauses and looks down at her phone, "I just can't believe he would do that to her, he just threw her love away."

"I know, I just think its best that they don't keep contact." Haymitch says, his voice low and angry. Hazelle nods and stands up, she thanks Haymitch and wipes her eyes, it must he hard for her to know. The pain of her own husband – Gale's father – cheating on her then leaving still fresh in her mind, and now her eldest son is following in his footsteps.

"If I receive any calls from Katniss, I'll tell her that Gale is unavailable," Hazelle nods. Haymitch stands and thanks her, he leaves the house knowing that this might come back and hurt him, but he would gladly do that for Katniss.

* * *

**Present.**

**Gale. **

Gale makes coffee for himself; he leans against the kitchen counter, in only his pajama pants and gingerly sips the beverage. He moved to Boston a little over a month ago, boxes still litter the apartment, but Gale is pretty much settled in. He talked to his superior and shifted his main army base from London to Boston, he knew that that wasn't the place for him and that Katniss needed to have her life, and Gale needed to have his own. So far it has been okay, it has been four months since he left. He is currently going to a gym and is dating the hot girls that go to the yoga class that is held at the gym every Thursday.

He hears a door open and close, the girl walks into the kitchen in only Gale's flannel button down. She bites her lip and says, "That was great last night, thank you Gale."

Gale nods his head and smiles, "No problem…. Felicity was it?"

The girl furrows her eyebrows and retorts, "My name is Fluvia. You said it was a beautiful name last night."

Gale takes another sip of his coffee and replies, "That was probably the alcohol talking, but hey Fluvia is a very pretty name, it suits you."

Her cheeks go a shade of pink and her hazel eyes crinkle at the sides from the big smile that is consuming her face. Gale met her at the gym and then they caught up for a drink, he got drunk and they had sex. It was nothing special, he did the same with a girl named Wiress last Thursday, she seemed to catch on it was casual. But it seems Fluvia thinks it serious.

"So… what do you do for a living?" Gale asks awkwardly, thinking of ways to tell her to leave politely, it will probably hurt her feelings anyway.

"Oh I'm an assistant, but I want to be an actress," Fulvia answers happily; she walks over and sits up on the counter island across from Gale.

"Well shouldn't you be in Hollywood for that?" He continues the conversation that he really doesn't care about. Gale drains his cup of coffee and goes to grab a pack of aspirin from the shelf.

"Yeah… but I need the money, so that is why I have the job as an assistant," Fulvia drabbles on, Gale takes his tablets with a gulp of water and then grabs an apple from the fruit bowl, and he takes a bite from it. "What time is it, Gale?"

"7 am," Gale answers as he looks down at his watch, and then he has an idea, "Oh shit!"

"What is it?" Fulvia asks.

"I've got breakfast with a friend, I really need to go, I'm so sorry," Gale rushes, he hurries into his bed room and strips out of his pajama pants and changes into a pair of jeans. Fulvia joins him and gathers all her clothes up and goes back into the bathroom.

Gale puts on a plain grey t-shirt and his brown leather jacket, and puts on his brown leather boots. He puts on his deodorant and sprays on some cologne, Fulvia comes out of the bathroom with her dress on, her blonde hair pulled up into a bun and her high heels hanging from her fingers. She gives Gale a big smile, he grabs his phone and wallet, and he leaves his bedroom.

"It was nice meeting you," Gale says, like he always does, "I'll call you when I'm free next."

Fulvia trails after him, Gale opens the front door and she says, "It was nice of you to have me over, I would love to do it again sometime."

"Yeah, sure." Gale walks out into the corridor, and closes and locks the door behind Fulvia, they go into the elevator, and stand in awkward silence as they go down each floor. The doors open and Gale quickly walks out of the apartment building and stops. He turns to Fulvia and asks, "Which way are you going?"

She points to the left and says, "That way."

Gale shrugs and sighs, he points to the right and says, "I'm going this way, and it was lovely seeing you Feli- I mean Fulvia."

She smiles and Gale turns in the direction he was pointing and walks away, leaving the girl behind. He is really getting good at acting like he cared; he decided that perhaps going into a meaningful relationship wouldn't work for him right now. Gale walks into the first café he comes across, he goes straight to the counter and orders a bagel and a coffee. The girl gives him a flirtatious smile as he hands her over the money and he gives her a small smile.

Gale turns around and looks around the packed Café, people fill the tables in the café, his eyes land on a particular table, a pair of brown eyes lock onto his and he feels his heart rate pick up in his chest. He hears his coffee being called and he turns to the girl, she hands him a brown paper bag with his bagel in it and his coffee. The girl winks at him, but he just turns away.

Gale walks towards the table; Clove looks up at him happily and greets, "Oh my God! Hey Gale! It's great to see you!"

Gale smiles back at her and replies, "It's good to see you too Clove! How has life been?"

Clove looks to the dark skinned girl across from her and says, "My friend Rue and I are attending Harvard in about two months so we are settling down in an apartment and we thought we'd get a coffee."

Gale looks to the other girl, she has full dark pink lips and wide brown eyes with long eyelashes, her black curly hair is pulled back in a ponytail and she wears a loose green dress. To say she is beautiful is an understatement.

"May I join you?" Gale asks tentatively, Rue nods and Gale takes one of the two spare chairs. The girls watch him closely; he can feel their gazes on him as he gets his bagel out.

"So Gale what has brought you to Boston?" Rue asks, an odd accent rolling off of her tongue, he looks to her and quirks an eyebrow. Rue laughs and says, "I'm from Australia."

"Oh what part?" He asks.

"I'm from the Gold Coast, in Queensland," She replies happily, "Any way Gale, what has brought you to Boston?"

He shrugs and replies, "I honestly don't know, I asked my superior in the army to station me anywhere. I'm currently on leave and I'm just doing stuff day by day, I guess."

"So have you talked to Katniss since you left?" Clove asks suddenly, Gale looks to her and shakes his head; she nods and stays silent for a couple of seconds. "You never called me."

Gale smiles at her and replies, "I did so! When I did you were drunk and promised to call me back later, also I left you a voice mail."

Clove sips on her coffee and says, "I don't check my voice mails, it's best you'd text me."

Gale feels a genuine smile form on his lips; he hasn't smiled properly since he was leaving for London five months ago. Its strange how quickly things have changed. "So what are you studying at Harvard?"

"I'm doing the _Fundamentals of Ecology," _Clove answers happily; she seems like the type of person that would be into plants and animals.

Gale looks to Rue and she says, "I'm studying _Nutrition in Health and Wellbeing." _

He nods his head and takes a bite of his bagel, "So you guys must be pretty smart to get into Harvard."

"I got in by scholarship," Rue states, a small smile residing on her lips.

"My dad paid for me to get in, but they said I had a great application though, and if I applied for a scholarship I could have received one." Clove states.

"Well that's exciting," Gale exclaims, he takes a drink of his coffee, the rest of the conversation flows easily with the banter being thrown back and forth, and the humor the two girls have, Gale thinks they'll be easy friends. Soon enough Rue has to go because she has plans with her boyfriend, she tells Gale it was nice meeting him and then leaves swiftly; Leaving him and Clove behind.

"So are you seeing anyone? Cheating on anyone?" Clove asks out of the blue, Gale shoots her a hard glare and she puts her hands up in mock surrender. "Calm down, I just want to remind you what you did so you won't do it again."

"Why would you want to remind me, Clove?" Gale asks with a gruff voice, he hunches his shoulders and ducks his head, "I know what I did was wrong."

"Oh, I'm just wondering," Clove answers in a wistful voice, she sets down her drink and turns her full body towards Gale, her eyes watch him softly. "I just was hoping that we could go out some time."

Gale looks at her in shock, his mouth hangs open the slightest bit, her brown eyes light up hopefully, and Clove bites the edge of her lip, Gale thinks she looks cute. "Yeah, I would really like that Clove, that sounds great."

A smile creeps onto her lips and she tentatively places a hand on one of Gale's, the gesture is soft and sweet. "I was hoping that we could go to the _Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum, _it's supposed to be very nice."

"Yeah what ever you want," Gale says, an irremovable smile plastering itself into his features.

They talk a while longer until someone says, "Gale Hawthorne?"

He turns around to the person, and he finds Madge Undersee smiling at him, standing behind her is the familiar carrot red hair of Darius James, who has his most prize-winning smile on. Madge continues, "It's so great to see you! How has life been?"

"Pretty okay, I went to London a few months ago and met Peeta and Willow for the first time." Gale answers.

"Really?" Madge asks, "I would have thought you would have met them before."

"Actually I didn't know they existed until I got there, so that was uncomfortable." Gale laughs awkwardly, Madge and Darius laugh making Gale shift uncomfortably.

"Oh." Is all she says, she shifts her gaze to Clove and she smiles wider than before, if that even was physically possible, "Who's this?"

"Madge this is Clove, Clove this is Madge," Gale quickly says, Clove greets the other girl and quirks her eyebrow at Gale. He can already tell that he will have to answer plenty of questions later.

Madge beams and sticks her hand out, "Hello Clove its great to meet you."

Clove warily shakes her hand and replies, "Nice to meet you too."

"Do you mind if we join you? The place is full and we can't find anywhere to sit." Darius asks.

"Why not?" Clove says sweetly, Gale whips around to her and gives her a puzzled look. Clove just winks at him and mouths, "Is that the one?"

"Yeah," Gale mutters back, Clove just snorts and shakes her head in laughter.

Madge and Darius sit down in the two spare chairs, Gale watches them carefully, he actually never told Madge that he and Katniss never broke up, and she must have assumed it. They make polite conversation when Madge asks, "So how long have you been dating?"

Clove quickly answers, "I met Gale in London, and we really had a connection so we met up here nearly two months ago and we've been dating since."

"So how long have you two been together?" Gale quickly changes the topic, sending Clove a pointed glare; she gives him a smug smile and turns her attention back to Madge.

"We began dating two years ago," Darius answers, Gale remembers that Darius is two years younger than Madge, that must be awkward. Clove and Madge go on and on, they talk about Gale and Katniss, also Peeta and Willow, the whole time Clove just has this smug little smile on her lips because she knows she's annoying Gale.

When Madge and Darius have left, Gale and Clove leave the crowded café. When they're walking down the street Gale stops her and asks, "Why did you say all that?"

"I just like to see you squirm, Gale Hawthorne," A mischievous smile forms on her lips, and her brown eyes crinkle up at the sides, and Gale can tell that perhaps fate has brought her to him, she is the only woman that can do that to him.

He notices Clove bite her lip and he feels his arms prickle with goose bumps. In one swift movement Clove closes the space between them and presses her lips against his, Gale is caught off guard and awkwardly places his hands at his sides, but after a second he relaxes and places his hands on her waist. Clove pulls back and places her hand on his chest, she just looks up at him with a gracious grin and wide eyes and states, "I needed to get that off of my chest."

* * *

**So there is Chapter 8, I believe this story is almost over :(. This chapter gave you an insight of what Haymitch and Hazelle thought, also how Gale's life is now he is away from Katniss. I hope you like GalexClove, I thought that it would be refreshing!?**

**Also I am trying my best to post every Sunday, it is technically Monday right now because it is 12:03am but what ever. ****I hope you enjoyed this chapter and your reviews are always very much appreciated, I just wanted to say the more reviews I recieve means I **_will_ **update faster, so yeah Review!**

**I also recommend that everybody read a Fic called _Stop This Train, _I am co- writing the story and the user _Beauty and Brutality _is posting it on her page, so go ahead and read that because its goood! **

**I love you all and please review, favourite, and follow! ~N**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER:**

**There is course language in this chapter, I recommend if you are easily offended that you don't read. Also younger audiences be warned this Fic is rated T for older audiences.**

**Also I do not own the Hunger Games series, I only own the idea of _Fidelity_ and OC I come up with. **

**Larger authors note down below.**

* * *

**Peeta.**

"Peeta!" A scream rips through the dark of the bedroom, and he is instantly awake, he bolts up straight and looks to the bathroom door, which is a jar and a stream of light is emitting from it.

"Katniss?" Peeta gets up, hurries over to the bathroom, he pulls the door open and finds his wife leaning on the sink, he goes to her and asks, "baby what's wrong?"

Katniss turns to him and she quietly answers, "My water broke."

He is frozen in place as the words leave her lips, his eyes bore into her grey steely pools and he can feel the elation rise up through his body. But then he feels his throat tighten with panic.

_The Baby is coming. _

"Okay honey, I read up on this… are you having contractions?" Peeta asks hurriedly, racking his brains on what he read in the pamphlets from the hospital and the information from the maternity websites.

Katniss bites into her lip and nods she huskily says, "I feel as if I'm having cramps."

Peeta nods and takes her hands, not knowing what to do with himself, "Okay... okay I'll call doctor Aurelius and I'll tell him. Then I'll grab the hospital kit and you need to put on some new underwear and something to catch the fluids."

Katniss nods, and a smile forms across her lips, she kisses him suddenly and she says, "You should have stayed in medical school Peeta, because you would have made one fine doctor."

He chuckles and helps is heavily pregnant wife back into the bed room, she switches on the light and he grabs his phone, he has the hospital on speed dial so it doesn't take long for a woman to pick up. "Hello, Whittington Hospital, how may I be of service?"

"I need Doctor Aurelius quickly," Peeta answers, the woman puts him on hold and a small tune plays, He looks up to find Katniss waddling around, she has already braided her hair and is now picking up bits and pieces for herself. Peeta is brought back when he hears the music cut from the speaker.

"This is Doctor Aurelius."

"Hey doc it's Peeta Mellark, my wife Katniss's water broke." Peeta answers, his voice steadier than before.

"Okay Peeta I just need you to answer a few questions. What time did her water break?" The doctor says.

"About five minutes ago."

"So they broke at about 4:25 am. Okay, What does it look like?"

Peeta holds the phone away and says, "Katniss what does the stuff look like?"

She waddles out of the bathroom and replies, "It's clear, but there is a yellow tinge."

Peeta echoes that back into the phone and the doctor asks, "What does sit smell like?"

Peeta looks back to Katniss and asks, "Does the stuff have a smell?"

"How would I know? It's not like I wanted to sniff it." She snaps, Peeta sends her a pointed look and she sighs, Katniss pads back into the bathroom. She calls out a moment later, "It doesn't smell… god now it's everywhere!"

Peeta chuckles and says into the phone, "It's odorless."

Doctor Aurelius makes a confirmation sound and then he says, "Well that's good, she doesn't have an infection or anything. I'm assuming her contractions are not regular yet, so just relax until then. When they do get more regular, you should come in and well begin the labor process."

Peeta thanks the doctor and then hangs up. He looks to his wife who is now sitting on their bed with the emergency hospital bag sitting on her lap. "Are you getting contractions regularly?"

"Nope," Katniss replies popping the 'p'.

"Okay that means we can relax for a while and then when they do get more regular we'll head down to the hospital," Peeta says, he walks over to her and takes a seat next to her on the bed. Katniss runs her hands through his messy hair and pulls his lips to hers for a kiss, which is soft and comforting.

"We will be fine," Katniss softly consoles as she breaks the kiss, she places her hand on Peeta's cheek and runs her thumb over his cheekbone, he can feel the warmth and electricity radiating from her touch, the sensation will never get old to him; he felt it when she first touched him and he knows he'll feel it until his last breath. "We'll call Annie, Finnick and Johanna, so they can looks after Willow while I'm in there, and I'll call my mother and Prim. Then you can call your parents."

Peeta nods and then says, "I'll make some pancakes, cheese buns and some coffee. Then I'll get Willow up, that okay?"

Katniss smiles and nods, "I am really craving cheese buns so that is perfect."

He chuckles and gives her another peck on the cheek, before getting up and slipping into a pair of jeans and a khaki t-shirt. Peeta takes his wife's hand and he helps her walk down the stairs, he knows that she will hate him for babying her, but she knows that he doesn't want anything bad to happen.

When they are down the steps Peeta lets Katniss go into the lounge room, and he goes into the kitchen. He grabs the ingredients out for pancakes and quickly mixes them into a large bowl, he has done it so much that it only takes a few minutes until he has the first pancake done. While the pancakes are cooking, Peeta goes to the freezer and grabs out the chilled cheese buns, he would love to make a fresh batch but that can take a while, so he slips them into the oven and then continues to flip the pancakes.

"Peeta!" Katniss calls from the living room, he hurries into the room and finds her sitting on the couch with her feet tucked under her self. "Finnick and Annie will be over with little Finn in about ten minutes, and Jo said she'll be here in about twenty because she has a hangover."

"Okay, that means I need to make another batch doesn't it?" He asks, Katniss smiles and nods, she licks her bottom lip, which is a small habit of hers, but Peeta loves it.

He turns to go back into the kitchen, but Katniss calls out, "I love you, Peeta."

He turns back to his wife and sends her a warm smile, the smile that makes her melt apparently, he can see her eyes soften and he replies, "I love you too, Katniss."

* * *

"So the bread is finally ready to come out of the oven?" Johanna asks while waggling her eyebrows. They all sit around the dining table, eating the cheese buns and pancakes Peeta made, and sipping on either coffee or orange juice.

"So Katniss, when did your contractions start?" Annie asks curiously, bouncing little Finn who sits on her lap.

"Oh about four-thirty am, so about two hours ago now," Katniss answers, while staring at the time on her phone, she places the device on the table and resumes her eating. Peeta watches her out of the corner of his eyes, making sure nothing bad happens to his wife and their unborn child.

"Are your contractions bad?" Annie continues.

"They're kind of everywhere right now, so when they get closer together and more regular Peeta and I are going to the hospital." Katniss replies, she then bites into a cheese bun and a small noise escapes from the back of her throat. Everyone knows Katniss's love for cheese buns and so when she eats them they all expect her to make certain sounds; Peeta loves the small moans Katniss makes, he feels a sense of accomplishment when she does.

"Mummy is my brother coming?" Willow asks across the table, her bright blue eyes light up and you can tell she's swinging her short legs under the table, Katniss nods happily, and a ravishing smile envelops the toddlers face, "When will he be out?"

Peeta pats his daughters head and replies, "That can take a while Willow, sometimes babies take days to come out, so we just have to be patient and he'll be out eventually."

"I can't wait for him!" Finn squeals from Annie's lap, he also has a big grin stretched across his features, "I'll finally have a boy to play with!" Willow sends Finn a scowl and he instantly stops, perhaps Willow will get a small bit jealous when the new baby comes.

Breakfast continues with talk of the pending child, Peeta just hopes that Katniss and the baby will both be healthy, and he knows that Katniss will be fine not matter what.

The sound of the doorbell rings through out the house, Peeta gets up and makes his way to the front door, when he pulls it open he finds Clove standing there. He greets, "Hey Clove! Right now isn't exactly the best timing…"

"Hey Peet," Clove greets, an easy smile residing on her lips, "I got something for you."

"What is i-"

"Hey Peeta." He looks round Clove and finds Gale Hawthorne standing behind her, he quirks an eyebrow and tilts his head to the side.

"Hawthorne what are you doing here?"

Gale scratches the back of his neck and replies, "I guess I wanted to apologize, I was an asshole when I came last, and I thought I should tell Katniss."

Peeta says, "Right now isn't best, Katniss just-"

"Is that a breakfast party I hear?" Clove asks, she pushes past Peeta and walks down the hall into the dining room. Peeta looks at Gale skeptically and sighs; he waves Gale in and closes the door behind them.

They go into the dining room and find Clove hugging Katniss, who has a big grin on her face, when she looks to Peeta the smile drops and a hard stare replaces it. "Hey, Catnip." Gale sheepishly says.

Katniss stands from her chair, but doesn't make any advance; she just keeps her eyes hard and her face void from any emotion. She then looks to Peeta and he shrugs helplessly, that's when she softens her gait and says keeping her voice formal, "Hello Gale."

Peeta walks over to Katniss and sits her back down in her seat; he kisses the top of her head and gives her an encouraging smile. The week after Gale left Katniss had been a mess, she was crying and didn't want to leave their bedroom, it wasn't until Dr. Aurelius called and told Katniss that stress was bad for the baby, that she finally cleaned herself up. Peeta and Katniss got back into her routine of things over the five months, and they couldn't have been happier, that lingering wondering about Gale had been gone and it was like Katniss finally let her self be free. But Peeta knows that since Gale arrived that Katniss will be thrown off course and she will be on edge most of his stay. Hopefully Gale doesn't expect them to accommodate him again.

"You look really good, Katniss," Gale says, as he takes a seat at the table, all eyes seem to be on the pair, Peeta takes her hand and rubs soothing circles over the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Thank you Gale," She replies curtly, her voice monotone.

He shifts awkwardly in his seat and continues, "When is the baby due?"

Katniss looks to Peeta with a small smile on her lips and replies, "Actually my water broke this morning, so where waiting."

Clove lets out a small gasp and she wraps her arms around Peeta and Katniss's heads, "Oh My God! Why aren't you at the hospital? Isn't the child supposed to be out yet!?"

Katniss lets out a laugh, Peeta chuckles as well and untangles his wife and himself from Clove's grasp, "Katniss's contractions aren't close enough, so we have to wait until she can go into the hospital and they can start the labor. Right now we are taking this step by step, sometimes it takes hours for the baby to come."

"Do you know the gender?" Gale asks curiously, his eyes wide and bright, he almost looks as excited as everybody else; perhaps he has finally come to terms with Peeta, Katniss and their small family.

Katniss and Peeta found out the gender of their child a few months back, they were ecstatic to be having a boy; they actually didn't mind what the gender of the child was they just wanted it to be happy. When they called Meredith Mellark, to say she was disappointed was an under statement, but in the end she said she would love the child no matter what.

"We're having a baby boy," Peeta replies, he gives Katniss a kiss on the temple and wraps an arm around her shoulders.

"Have you decided on the name yet?" Finnick asks through a mouth full of toast, he swallows and takes a gulp of coffee before continuing, "Because I would recommend _Finnick_."

Everybody laughs and Annie nudges his ribs playfully, Katniss replies, "As much as we love that name, Peeta and I are deciding between Kaiser and Rylie. If we name him Kaiser we'll call him Kai for short, if we name him Rylie we'll call him Rye for short."

"Rye? As in your brother Rye, Peeta?" Johanna questions, Katniss laughs and nods her head in realization, and Peeta snorts. Johanna Laughs, "You were going to name your child after your idiot brother Mellark! Oh My God!"

Everybody erupts in laughter; Peeta shakes his head and wipes the tears that are pooling around his eyes. "Your brother is the most freaking stupid person I have ever met," Finnick continues, clutching at his stomach.

"Hey he's not that bad," Peeta defends a smile still playing on his lips.

"Peeta, Rye broke his arm falling down the stairs and then the next week, road down a steep hill on a unicycle and broke his other arm and three ribs, he is stupid," Katniss supplies. They all burst out laughing again and even Willow is laughing, but she probably doesn't know what is happening.

"Okay, okay, I guess you're right," Peeta says finally giving in, "I didn't think about Rye and _Rylie, _so that probably means we will settle with Kaiser then."

Katniss nods her head and runs her hands over her swollen belly and echoes, "Kaiser, Kaiser Mellark."

* * *

Everybody sits around the living room, they all laugh and banter, waiting patiently for Katniss to be finally able to have the baby. Peeta hasn't been so anxious since Willow, but she was an induced labor so it didn't take long for Willow to be born. But it seems that this child is coming at an agonizing pace and Peeta can't help but be restless.

Gale and Katniss decided to have a talk in private after breakfast and sort out everything between them, Katniss seemed to have started trusting Gale once again but she still hasn't forgiven him for the lying cheating and heart break he put her through, and Gale knows that it will be a long time until she can fully forgive him.

They also found out that Clove and Gale are dating, they met in Boston a month ago and they really hit it off. Clove quit about a month after Gale left because she was accepted into Boston University for Ecology, she said she would come back when she graduated to do another degree in teaching so she could become a biology teacher.

Peeta is happy that Gale was able to let everything go and he was able to find his own way, instead of clinging to something of the past and wanting everything to stay the same forever. The man has seemed to grown up in the few months that they haven't seen him, and Peeta knows that Clove will be able to balance out their personalities.

…

It's around 6pm when Katniss's contractions get worse, and Peeta takes her to the hospital, with everyone following them in separate cars. The sound of Katniss's labored breathing fills the car; she clutches her stomach and squeezes her eyes closed. Peeta says soothing words to her as he drives, not being in the position to give her physical comfort, he uses his words, which seems to ease his wife.

When they arrive at the hospital Peeta runs around to Katniss's side of the car and helps her out, she clutches his hand in hers. He walks her into the hospital and they talk to a secretary, who calls Dr. Aurelius. The doctor arrives not two minutes later and he whisks Katniss into a room with a bed and a nurse with large pink hair and bright pink lipstick.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Mellark, I am Effie Trinket, I will be your midwife," The woman trills in a very high-pitched accent.

Peeta stretches his hand out and gives her his charming smile, "Hello Ms. Trinket, you can call me Peeta."

Effie takes his hand and shakes it softly, she then turns her attention to Katniss and starts to talk to her in a softer voice, Katniss just clutches Peeta's hand tighter and groans, she looks to Effie and says, "I don't want any drugs, I had them last time and I was high for like three hours."

"But Mrs. Mellark we recommend you ha-"

Katniss cuts her off, "I. Don't. Want. The. Drugs. That is final."

Peeta feels kind of turned on at feisty Katniss, but he puts that thought at the back of his head when Effie puffs out her cheeks and then says, "Well then how about we get you changed and then on the bed and we'll see how dilated you are."

Katniss and Peeta go into the adjoining bathroom and he helps her undress and then slip into the hospital gown. They go back out and Effie helps Katniss onto the bed, they prop her legs up on a stand that holds them in the air. Peeta sits at a stool by Katniss's head and he holds her hand in his, he squeezes it reassuringly and he kisses her forehead, which is sweaty and has hair stuck to it.

"Okay Katniss, you are half way there, we just need to wait until you are fully dilated then the baby can come out." Effie says from Katniss's legs, she looks around the dress and gives them a reassuring smile, "So do you know the gender of your baby?"

"We're having a boy," Peeta answers, knowing full and well that Katniss is in too much pain to talk.

"Oh that is wonderful!" Effie exclaims dragging out the 'L', she claps her hands together and then continues to ask, "do you have any names in mind for the child?"

"His name is going to be Kaiser, Kai for short," Peeta smiles, feeling the happiness wash over him at the prospect of his son. Effie sighs and makes a comment about how beautiful the name is.

A few minutes pass and Doctor Aurelius comes back, he disinfects his hands and puts some gloves on; Effie does the same. The Doctor then checks Katniss and he says, "We can start the labor now Katniss, we just need to know if you are comfortable enough. Do you need anyone else?"

"Johanna… can you please get… Jo for me," Katniss says heavily, her voice gravelly. The Doctor nods and then leaves the room, then to come back with Johanna trailing behind, and she sends Katniss and Peeta a smile.

Jo walks to the other side of the bed and catches a glance at Katniss, Jo lets out a low whistle and says, "Shit Kat, I never ever want to have children after seeing that."

Katniss lets out a breathy laugh and then says, "Thanks Jo."

"No problem brainless, the least I could do is let you break my hand," Jo banters, which then gets Johanna another labored laugh from Katniss.

In a condescending tone Effie asks Katniss, "Are you ready to start dear?"

Katniss nods her head and clutches Peeta's hand tighter, and takes Jo's hand; Doctor Aurelius sits at the stool at the end of the bed and then begins to tell Katniss to push. Peeta can feel the pain of his hand being crushed as Katniss lets out a loud groan and squeezes her eyes shut. She swears multiple times under her breath, every time the profanity gets worse and louder.

At one point Katniss points an accusing finger at Peeta, her eyes unforgiving and fiery, she spits, "You did this Mellark, you and your wonder balls. I hate you."

Peeta just laughs and replies, "Is that the best you can do Everdeen?"

"I would do better, if wasn't pushing a watermelon out of my vagina," Katniss snorts furiously, her face contorted into pain and anger. Peeta laughs again, and then sooths her once more.

Effie encourages Katniss to push harder when the baby's head is nearly out; Katniss squeezes Peeta and Jo's hand tighter, and yells, "FUUUCK!"

A moment after that a cry is heard from the end of the bed, and Doctor Aurelius holds up a red bundle; Peeta stares in wonder at the crying baby, his small hands waving and his loud cry ringing through the room. Effie clamps the umbilical cord and then makes her way over to Peeta, she hands Peeta a pair of scissors, and she says, "You can cut the cord."

He nods happily and makes his way over to the doctor, and carefully snips at the cord, a second later is splits and Effie quickly fills a vile with its blood. Peeta knows that they will have to do a procedure to make sure the baby is okay, like observing the heart rate, how well he is breathing, muscle tone, and reflex and hearing responses.

Peeta sits next to his wife again and takes her hand, he wipes away the hair stuck to her sweaty forehead and kisses her temple, tasting the salt on her skin. Katniss gives Peeta a weak smile, but he can see the elation in her eyes.

Effie takes the baby from Dr. Aurelius and she wraps a forest green blanket around him and then puts a small white beanie on his small head. She walks over to Katniss and places him on her chest, Katniss instantly lets go of Jo and Peeta's hands and rests them on her child; his crying dies down and his dark - almost black – eyes lock with Katniss's, he closes his mouth and relaxes to her touch.

Effie takes Katniss's legs down from the stands and she cleans Katniss up before putting on a pair of disposable underwear onto Katniss. Doctor Aurelius disposes of his gloves and goes over to Peeta, "Congratulations Mr. Mellark, you have a healthy young man. We will have to do tests in a couple of minutes, and then we will get all the yucky stuff off of him, and then he is all yours."

Peeta shakes the doctor's hand and then says, "Thank you so much for your service, he is amazing."

Doctor Aurelius smiles and then excuses himself; Peeta turns back to Katniss and his son. Katniss looks down at him in wonder and he looks up at her with a placid face, Katniss whispers, "He looks like you Peeta, he has your jaw and your nose, and your mouth, he is a miniature you."

Peeta runs his thumb over his son's forehead softly, he then hums, "Our little Kaiser, our baby boy."

Katniss lets out a little sniffle, and Jo gives her a kiss on the forehead, Jo has tears streaming down her face, she also cried when Willow was born. "He is absolutely amazing, Kat." Johanna chokes; Peeta thinks that this is the last time he'll see Johanna Mason cry. "I can't believe you made him, he is adorable. You have some super sperm Mellark."

Peeta chuckles and thanks Jo nonchalantly, she laughs and wipes her damp eyes. Katniss looks up at Peeta and asks, "Would you like to hold him?"

Peeta nods eagerly, and gently takes the little bundle from Katniss. He looks down at his son with pride; he can feel the tears in his eyes as he holds the little man. He says, "Hey Kaiser, I'm your daddy, I'm going to teach you how to bake and ride a bike."

Peeta's son looks up at him, his eyes wide and his expression placid; Peeta can really see the resemblance he and his son have. Kaiser also looks like Peeta's father, actually he looks more like Farl than he does Peeta, but that doesn't bother him, he would love his son to turn out like his father.

A few minutes later Peeta hands Kaiser to Johanna, and she talks to him in a soft voice, she sounds calm and happy, perhaps she'll have a child of her own one day, Peeta knows that Jo would make a fine mother, even though she is brash and loud, she would be fair and loving.

Effie then comes into the room and takes Kaiser, they need to take tests and they need to clean him up, Katniss gives him a peck on the forehead and Effie whisks him away. Katniss looks up at Peeta and then she says, "Peeta he is perfect, I love him!"

Peeta leans down and gives his wife a loving, lingering kiss, he pulls back and rests his forehead on hers, staring into her steely grey orbs, he says, "I love him, I love you. Katniss we made him, I love you so much."

Katniss decides to take a quick shower, and Peeta helps her into the bathroom, he strips her down and she rinses her body off, she re-braids her damp hair and puts on some deodorant; she redresses and they make their way back into the room.

Katniss sits back down, and a minute later Effie comes in with Kaiser and a beaming smile. She trills, "He is clean and healthy baby!"

She hands him to Katniss and they find a small tuft of light blonde hair poking out from under his beanie. "He's blonde!" Peeta exclaims happily, Katniss hugs Kaiser closer and lets out a contented sigh.

Soon everyone enters the room and they all pat Peeta on the back and give Katniss a kiss on the head. They all admire Kaiser, and all have a small hold of him, he just stays placid and keeps opening his hands and stretching his fingers out, and clenching his fists again. Katniss dresses him in a soft white onsie - which has small blue birds on them – that Annie gave Kaiser and then she rewraps Kaiser in his forest green blanket.

Willow is quiet and careful around the baby, Peeta picks her up and sits her down next to Katniss, he settles a pillow on his daughters lap, and then Katniss carefully places the baby on the pillow. Peeta shows Willow how to hold Kaiser and she watches in wonder as her baby brother makes little noises and rubs his eyes.

Finnick ushers Katniss, Peeta, Willow and Kaiser together and takes a photo of all of them, with Peeta's high definition camera. Then Effie enters the room, Peeta smiles at her and asks, "Effie would you mind taking a photo of all of us?"

"Why yes Peeta, I would be delighted to!" Effie chimes, she takes Peeta's camera off of Finnick; everybody crowds around the little family, and they all smile as Effie counts down, "one, two, three! There we are!"

Peeta gives Katniss another deep kiss; he then hugs Willow and then gently kisses his son's forehead. At that moment, surrounded with Peeta's closest friends, and his little family, he couldn't have ever felt happier in his life, all that confusion that was his life a few months ago, now made sense and for once in his life his head was clear, and he knew that this is what happiness truly felt like.

* * *

**So I hope you like this chapter! I know I said that I would update every Sunday, but I was partying with my twin and my cousin all night, yeah it was a wild night. (Ben &amp; Jerry's and movies!) **

**So I finished the chapter tonight, and I must say I am very happy with how it turned out!**

**Please tell me what you thought and hopefully you like Peeta's point of view? I really do appreciate reviews, and I am almost to one hundred! So please leave one regarding your thoughts and I'll be very thankful.**

**Also I saw the Mockingjay posters and I cried! Do you guys know what is reflected in Peeta's eyes because it's all over tumblr and no one can figure it out! If you look closely in his eyes are little pictures and they all think its because he was hijacked.**

**I also watched the Comic con interview with Jennifer and Josh and I died because I love them so much. And I started crying when I saw the propaganda trailers for mocking jay! What do you guys think of Katniss's blood red Mockingjay suit? **

**I am Co writing a story with my sister Beauty and brutality, its called **_**Stop This Train, **_**it is very good! The link to it will be on my page if you want to check it out!**

**Anyway I better go, I love you all and remember your reviews are always appreciated! I love you all~ N**

**REVIEWXFOLLOWXFAVORITE**


	10. Chapter 10

**Last Chapter :( **

**Larger authors note below.**

**(check out my tumblr)**

* * *

**Gale.**

"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne," Gale mumbles to him self as he reads the cursive writing on the small letter. His eyes scan over the words as he subconsciously reads aloud, "You are invited to…"

Gale's eyes stop on one word: _Wedding. _His eyes widen and his mouth hangs open, "_Willow is getting what!?" _He exclaims, his eyes quickly reading the letter.

"Honey what is it?" Clove calls from the other room. Gale runs a hand through his hair, and tugs on it. Clove walks into the room, with their ten-year-old son, Beau, trailing behind her.

Gale looks up to his wife and holds the letter out, Clove takes it from his hands, and she reads aloud. "_Dear Mr. and Mrs._ Hawthorne. _You are invited to the wedding of Willow_ _Everdeen-Mellark and Finnegan Odair. The ceremony will take place at Southwark Cathedral, April 16__th__. The reception will then take place at 'Victors' Bar and Restaurant'. Please reply to Willow at…" _

Once clove finishes reading the finer details, she looks up to Gale and quirks an eyebrow, "I don't see how this is a big deal Gale, she's just getting married."

Gale looks at his wife incredulously and shakes his head, whilst muttering, "She's just a child."

Clove barks out in laughter, kisses Gale on the head, and she pats his cheek adoringly and says, "Gale she's a big girl, perhaps you should call Katniss?"

Gale looks up and nods, Clove and his son leave the room as Gale pulls out his mobile and dials Katniss's number. It rings a few times, on the fourth ring Katniss's voice greets through the phone, "Hello Gale! I haven't heard from you in a while!"

Gale, Clove and their three children, Ember, Beau and Wren went over to England for Easter; Peeta and Katniss had their whole house decked out. Around ten years ago Katniss and Peeta bought a large house – or mansion, as Gale would call it - in London. _'Mellark's Bakery' _expanded through out the UK which brought in a lot of income for the family. Katniss published a children's picture book called, _'Under the Willow, it _was a huge hit; Katniss also produced two fiction novels, called '_The Girl on Fire,' _and '_The Hanging Tree,' _both were a hit in the teen-fiction section all over the world.

"Hey Catnip," Gale greets happily, "I just wanted to call up and tell you that I received Willow's wedding invite."

"So are you able to come, Sargent Hawthorne?" Katniss mocks in a very stern tone, and he gives a small laugh. Gale notices every time he talks to Katniss that she is slowly loosing her American accent, it is slowly turning to British; but living in the UK for almost twenty-four years can change a lot about you.

"It's _Major Sargent Hawthorne_, Catnip." Gale deadpans, to which he receives a laugh from the other end of the phone line. He goes on, "I can't believe that Willow is getting married! She's just a child!"

Katniss clicks her tongue and rejoins quickly, "Gale she's twenty-one, I was when I met Peeta, and Clove was when she met you. Girls fall in love and they get married."

Gale shakes his head in disbelief, and then comments, "She was seventeen going on eighteen when I last saw her, I just still see her as a young girl."

Katniss sighs, Gale can almost see the far away look on her features, the way her eyebrows furrow and her pink lips pout. He will never get over that woman. She replies is a wistful voice, "The years go by so quickly. Kaiser will be graduating high school soon, and Archie and Cecily are finishing year eleven."

Peeta and Katniss were surprised with Archie and Cecily sixteen years ago, they may be twins but they're completely opposite to one another. Cecily has long flowing golden hair, fair skin and bright sky blue eyes, whereas her brother has jet-black hair, olive skin and swirling grey eyes. Cecily is a lot like her mother in personality, she is very quiet and is always reading people; Archie has the exact same personality as his father, a bright white smile always adorns his dark features, and he is very quick witted.

Gale rakes his hand through his hair and lets out a low whistle, "They were only babies when I last saw them."

"Gale they were thirteen when you last saw them."

"That's still young!" Gale exclaims, Katniss laughs from the other line, and it reminds him of all the memories from when they were young, Gale feels a warm feeling spread from his heart, Katniss's laugh was always a treasure. God he misses his hunting partner. "Anyway, Little Finn Odair is marrying Willow? I thought he moved to Australia to the oil rigs."

"He came back a year ago with a tan, a lot of money and a girlfriend, she broke up with him when she found out that he was putting all his money away for safe keeping; Finn was really upset, but he and Willow decided to go out one night and the rest was history. She told me that he grew up from that cocky asshole she knew in high school, to a very sophisticated young man." Katniss tells Gale. Finnegan Odair was a lot like his father, he seemed very cocky in his teen years, but that boy must have matured enough to see what an amazing woman Willow is.

"So what is Willow studying?" Gale queries.

"Willow decided to do study law in Oxford University, she got a half scholarship, and is studying mad." Katniss responds proudly, Gale always knew that Willow was going to achieve great things. She goes on to ask, "So how is your little family going?"

"Oh they're great! Ember is going into her sophomore year in high school; Wren is going into middle school, and Beau still in elementary school." Gale answers jovially, "Ember is going to archery lessons twice a week, Beau wants to join a little league baseball club, and Wren is taking piano and violin lessons."

"Oh that sounds great!" Katniss exclaims through the crackly phone line, "How's Clove? How is work going for her?"

Clove became a teacher after finishing her degree in Ecology in Harvard, when they first met she told him that she wanted to do teaching and now she is a university lecturer in Boston College. Gale answers, "Clove got a job at Boston College a few months ago, she's really enjoying it."

"That's really great Gale, I'm really proud of you," Katniss states, and Gale knows she is telling the truth, Katniss is always delighted when Gale or his family do something good, it's the same for him, he always is happy when one of her family members achieve something amazing.

Gale looks down at his watch, and realizes the time, he speaks into the phone, "Sorry Catnip, I've got a meeting to get to. I love you and tell Peeta and the kids I say hi. Also tell Willow that we'll all be coming to the wedding."

* * *

"Mr. Gale Hawthorne! It's great to see you!" Finnick Odair exclaims, he shakes Gale's hand vigorously with a pearly white grin set into his golden features.

"Yeah it's good to see you too Finnick. How long has it been? Five years?"

"Oh yeah, you haven't changed a bit obviously!" Finnick laughs heartily, Gale joins in; Annie appears next to Finnick, she links her arm with Finnick's and leans her head on his shoulder.

"Hello Annie, how are you?" Gale greets.

"I am very good Gale, how are you?"

"I am very well Annie, I am actually very surprised that your Finn and Willow are getting married. I never would have expected it." Gale exclaims, receiving a smile from the couple.

"Oh well, Finn always had a crush on Willow through out the years, but I guess she never noticed." Annie shrugs; she looks up at Finnick, and asks, "Just like you were with me."

Finnick looks down at her adoringly, like Gale wasn't even standing three feet away from them. Finnick leans his head down and presses his forehead to Annie's, he then murmurs, "No matter what Annie, I was going to have you, I loved you the moment I laid eyes on you."

A blush creeps up Annie's neck, and Gale watches the couple as they flirt, he awkwardly excuses himself from the conversation, and he turns back to the crowded living room.

Katniss has her legs draped over Peeta's legs as they sit on the couch talking to Jo; he looks over to Haymitch who is standing with his wife Effie Trinket, the midwife who delivered Kaiser. Gale shifts his gaze to his wife who is standing with Primrose, who has a two year old on her hip, Prim married a man named Thresh five or six years ago, they had been together for about five years before hand.

"Uncle Gale!" He turns around to the voice, and finds Willow hurrying towards him, he opens his arms wide and the small woman instantly runs into his hug. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Gale looks down at the blue-eyed beauty and jokes, "I thought you hated me."

Willow dead pans, "I still hate you after eighteen years." She bats his shoulder, quite hard actually. "You're full of shit Uncle Gale."

He smiles and kisses the top of her head, "It's always good to see you Willow! Now where is that fiancé of yours?"

"I'm right here sir," Gale turns around to the voice, and finds a miniature version of Finnick Odair standing behind him. The man extends his hand and greets, "It's good to see you again Gale."

Gale takes his hand happily, and shakes his emphatically. "It's always good to see you too, Finn. Now tell me how did you two go from hating each other when you were teenagers, to getting married?"

Finn releases Gale's hands and walks around to Willow, he drapes an arm around her frame, and shrugs. "I never really saw her like that until I came back from Australia, she looked so beautiful and grown up, it seemed like I was meeting her for the first time."

A smile spreads across Willow's face and she leans into Finn, he rests his head on her head and grins. Gale says, "I knew you would come to realize how amazing this girl is, she is just like her mother."

Willow chimes in, "I guess the feeling was the same for me I guess, seeing Finn again was like seeing him for the first time, I didn't realize the connection we shared until we actually gave dating a shot."

Gale smiles down at her, and says, "I'm happy that you found each other again, I'm very happy for you."

"Thank you, Gale," Finn smiles, he may look a lot like Finnick but he has the soft smile and kind eyes of Annie.

"No worries, I wish you both luck in your future together." Gale says.

* * *

**Katniss. **

The phone rings brining Katniss out of her '_writers daze'_, she just got over a bad case of writers block and now she can't stay away from her keyboard. Katniss quickly saves the document, and picks up the buzzing phone on the desk. She glances at the screen and finds the name: 'Plutarch Heavensbee'; she swipes at the screen and greets, "Hello Plutarch, I need you to make it quick, I just got over my writers block."

"Hello Ms. Everdeen," Plutarch greets, he thinks its more formal to call a woman by their maiden name. "As your publisher I know how much you need this writing time, but I have some amazing news for you. Can you come in tomorrow morning so we can discuss it?"

Katniss looks at her calendar, and sees that her morning is open, but Willow's wedding dress fitting is at eleven. "Yeah it's fine Plutarch, I just need to be somewhere else by eleven."

"Very well Ms. Everdeen, I will see you at nine o'clock in my office," Plutarch says reverently. Katniss hangs up, and places her mobile back on her mahogany wood desk. Since they moved into this house in the city, Peeta insisted that Katniss have the larger office space, so she could plan her books and have calmer surroundings. The walls are a cream colour, with dark wooden floors, and a large forest green rug. Katniss has all the small illustrations that Peeta did for her hanging around the room. Her bookshelf is piled high with books, her own books are at the top with her favorite series, _Game of Thrones_, which are signed by George R.R. Martin.

Katniss turns back to her computer, and cracks her knuckles; she places her hands on the keys and begins to type fervently, her eyes glued on the monitor as the words appear on the white screen. This book is a sequel to her book, 'The Hanging Tree' Katniss decided to focus on the male protagonist from the last book, for this book, she decided to name it, '_Deep in The Meadow_.'

With every page that is written, minutes pass, and before Katniss knows it, it's already 1 am. She leans back from the computer and rubs her sore eyes, in today alone she has written over twenty thousand words, which isn't much by Katniss's standards.

She saves the document, and shuts down the computer, pushing herself out of the chair, she grabs her multiple coffee mugs and stalks out of her study. She quietly makes her way into the white kitchen, and places the mugs on the wooden bench top. She quickly grabs a glass off milk, and heats it in the microwave, when its done, Katniss makes her way up stairs into their bedroom, sipping gingerly on othe hot milk.

Through the dim light Katniss can see Peeta's sleeping form, and she places her milk on her bed side locker and quickly changes into her pajamas. She slips under the duvet and drinks the rest of the milk, which is infused with honey and spice. When she sets down the mug, her eyes grow heavy, and she lets herself drift off into a peaceful sleep.

Katniss stirs to a warm soft voice, she squeezed her eyes, and lets out a groan, her body shakes slightly and she cracks her eyes open to find Peeta staring down at her, his eyes watching her in peaceful manner. "Morning gorgeous," Her husband greets, his voice husky from sleep.

Katniss turns over and faces him; Peeta reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "Morning," Katniss replies with a yawn, Peeta smiles down at her and she checks her watch. She has enough time to get dressed and eat before Heavensbee's meeting.

Peeta leans down and gives Katniss a long lingering kiss, he gives her a goofy smile. She studies his rugged features, his strong jaw, his berry coloured lips, his high cheekbones, and how his golden eyelashes glow in the morning light. "I made some cheese buns," Peeta whispers, Katniss instantly perks up, all signs of her weariness gone. Peeta laughs at her reaction.

They quickly dress themselves - while sneaking a few kisses here and there – and they make their way down stairs, Archie and Cecily sit at their dining table, munching on the cheese buns that Peeta made. They both greet, "Morning."

"Morning my lovelies," Katniss replies in a symphonic tone, she kisses the tops of her children's heads and then makes her way into the kitchen to snatch up some cheese buns.

She eats them quickly, not even a crumb was left in place, Katniss praises Peeta and thanks him with a kiss, and Archie and Cecily make gagging noises as they see their parents kissing. Katniss and Peeta chuckle into their kiss, and pull away.

"So Archie, Cecily I need you ready for the dress fitting, I'll be home by ten thirty, Heavensbee just needs to see me." Katniss says to her children, she then turns to her handsome husband and says, "As for you Mr. Mellark, I need you to go and finish the designs for Willow's cake, and then get ready for the dress fitting."

"Yeas ma'am," Peeta jokes, he gives her one last kiss.

Katniss hurries upstairs and quickly changes from her pajamas to more suitable clothing. She pulls her hair back into a bun, and grabs her laptop from her study. She says farewell to her family, and then hastily leaves. It doesn't take long to arrive at the building that is her publisher, in large letters across the side of the high-rise reads: _'Rebels Reads.' _

Katniss pushes inside, and then goes to the secretary desk to where she tells the woman of her appointment. She makes her way to the elevator and hits the 13th button, the elevator whizzes up, and stops with a _Ding! _She walks down the hall, her heels clacking on the marble floor.

Katniss stops at a glass door, and knocks confidently, grabbing the attention of the man inside. Plutarch waves Katniss in, and she enters the spacious office, that has a marvelous view of London.

"Mrs. Everdeen!" Plutarch welcomes with open arms, the small man rises from his chair and gestures for her to sit down, so she does. "I am sure you are familiar with Caesar Flickerman?"

Katniss only then notices the small tanned man, sitting in one of Plutarch's leather armchair. Caesar is a major movie producer. Katniss smiles and nods her head, "It's very good to meet you Mr. Flickerman."

"Oh no the pleasure is all mine Mrs. Everdeen!" Caesar greets in a theatrical manner, his pearly white teeth almost blinding Katniss. The slight man stands from his seat and extends his hand towards her, "I am a very big fan of your books!"

"Oh thank you, Mr. Flickerman."

"You can call me Caesar, Katniss. May I call you Katniss?" Caesar queries, his white eyebrow quirking at the question. She nods, and a smile blooms on his already luminous features.

They both take a seat across from Plutarch, and he begins, "Well Katniss I know you would be wondering why I called you in here. Caesar here would like to turn your book, _'The Hanging Tree,' _into a movie."

Katniss's jaw goes slack, she stares at her publisher, and then turns to the overly tanned man. Caesar sends her a radiant smile, Katniss opens and closes her mouth a few times, and eventually gets out, "That's…. That's amazing Caesar, I am honored that you would choose one of my books."

Plutarch smiles and he continues, "We have already looked at casting, a fine young woman named Jennifer went for the main part of Suzie, a strapping young man named Josh went for the main part of Collin, and a man named Liam for the part of Charlie. They all match their descriptions perfectly. All casting will be approved by you though."

Katniss lets a huge smile blossom across her face, and she says, "Well that's great, I would love to have a look at their files. But we need to go over the script, and then the whole rights thing."

Caesar nods and answers, "We can go through them next week, but right now I need you to answer a question for me?" Katniss nods, and he continues, "We want to have a love triangle between Collin, Suzie, and Charlie."

Katniss shakes her head at the question and she exclaims, "NO! No, there is no love triangle in the book, Suzie and Collin end up together there is no love triangle needed, there is enough drama in the books. Okay?"

Caesars smile fades, and all he says is, "We want the movie to appeal to younger teenagers."

"Well the book is for young adults," Katniss states, her stubborn tone settling in, "The book is about death, the name, '_the Hanging Tree', _there is enough drama."

Caesar sinks back and nods his head in understanding. After that small tiff, they get back to planning and Katniss is out of the building in no time. She just makes it back to the house to pick up Peeta and the kids, and to get to the dress shop in time to meet Willow, Johanna and Annie.

The dress fitting goes well, with Willow picking out a simple but elegant lace dress. Johanna kept declining every dress that Willow picked out, but she went radio silence when the girl came out in the gown. Katniss was surprised to find her best friend crying, Jo was sniffling at the fact that Willow had grown up, and that, '_she was getting old.' _

Later that night, Katniss stood at the head of the dining table, everyone sat around the long table, and their chatter stopped. She announced that her book was being turned into a movie, and everyone cheered and congratulated her. Peeta was the most ecstatic – obviously – he had tears in his eyes as he gave her a long deep kiss, and praised her.

Katniss couldn't describe the amount of love she had for her family had that night, the closeness of them all, it brought tears to her eyes.

* * *

That next week, Willow Mellark was wed to Finnegan Odair, the couple smiled and made their way out of the church, as rice and flower petals were thrown over the couple. The reception was held in a restaurant that Peeta's cousin, Cashmere, owned, there were lights strewn up over the large courtyard out side of the restaurant, making a twinkling affect.

Soft music was played, and all the couples dances gracefully to the tune, Katniss had planned a surprise, she quieted down and gave the guitarist a nod, she held the microphone up to her lips and she said, "I have a small gift for my baby girl, and to show how much I love you."

The tune picked up, and a hush fell over the wedding party, Katniss breathed in and breathed out the beginning to the song:

_**I took my love and I took it down, I climbed a mountain and I turned around.**_

Willow's eyes filled with tears, as she watched heard her mother's magical voice emit from the speakers, everyone was in tears as the voice drifted into the calm summer evening. It had been a while since Willow had heard her mother sing, between the wedding and her going to university, she and her mother couldn't spend any time together. But she was so thankful for this moment.

_**Well I've been afraid of changing, 'cause I build my life around you. But time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I'm getting older to.**_

As her mothers eyes locked with hers, Willow leaned her head on her husband's shoulder, and she smiled contentedly, her mothers voice so melodious and soft.

When Katniss finished, a light applause filled the silence that followed her performance; she noticed that there was not one dry eye in the crowd around her. She made her way over to her daughter, and hugged her furiously, whispering her love and admiration.

It wasn't long after that, that Finnick announced speeches. First was the Odair's side of the family, Finnick got up and made this huge speech about his son, and embarrassing stories about his adolescence. Annie was after that, he told everyone how gorgeous her son was, and how since he was very young he had a heart of gold. Coastas Odair - Finn's younger brother - was next the boy told stories of parties and past girlfriends, and how he found Finn jacking off to a picture of Willow when he was fifteen, which received many laughs from the crowd.

Willow was next she talked of how when she was a teenager, she thought everything was so pretentious and how much she loathed Finn, but deep down she loved the boy; she elaborated on the embarrassing stories of when they were teens and quickly adding how they lost their virginity to one another when they were 16. (Peeta spat his drink out at that statement.)

Katniss got up to do her speech, talking about how when Willow was small she talked about marrying Finn, and even thought they hated each other through high school, they loved each other. She talked about how special that special someone is to you, and how you must cherish their presence. Her eyes met Peeta's, his showing how much and admiration he had for her, and hers mirrored.

Peeta got up next; he talked about being a father and watching his little girl turn into a woman; and how Finn shouldn't hurt Willow or he would beat the shit out of him, to which Finnick hollered, "_Me too!" _Peeta then talked about how happy he was that they found their love, and how it could be in the strangest of places, and at the oddest of times; but you love that being with your full heart.

By the end of the night the music had slowed down, and most people had retired to their hotels or homes. Katniss and Peeta danced around the empty dance floor, swaying to the steady beat of the drum. Katniss had her head resting on his chest, and she could hear his perfect heart beating almost in time with the song. His lips rested on her neck, his large arms securing her to his chest, and his body radiating heat.

Gale turned his gaze to the girl who once was his best friend, who is now a world away but can still aggravate him in the most annoying of ways. But as he watched her sway with her husband, and the content smile appeared on her lips, he knew that she was still the girl he loved before she moved to England. The girl who would sacrifice anything for her family, the girl who survived by hunting and working 12 hour shifts at a diner to make a living. The girl who he loved.

He turned back to his wife and left a light kiss on her freckled nose, she gave him a almost drowsy smile and he knew that everything happened for a reason, Clove was the only one that could get his head out of his ass, and she was the only one that he could fully love, the one that was his.

Gale and Clove joined the couple, copying the movements of Katniss and Peeta, their arms wrapped securely around each other, and their eyes closed. It was perfect. It was their happy ending.

* * *

**So this is the end… all the fun times we had, and all the confusion for this story and all the Everthorne shippers who probs hate me…**

**Well thank you all! Every single one of you who followed, favorited and reviewed, you are all my babes and your the ones who kept we writing. **

**I apologize on the huge delay of this chapter, as I said in the last authors note, I have been very, very busy! I posted a one-shot that I hope you guys like, so go check it out, it's called **_**'Peeta Pan' (Fantasy AU)**_

**And I have awesome news, I was nominated to go to a writing festival by my English teach, so yeah that's fun. **

**As always I am planning a new story, it will be up in a few months, because life is too hectic to even think of posting a new story, but I will soon… its Hunger Games Everlark btw. **

**I love you all, please leave a review and go check out my tumblr. ~N 3**


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